The Reckoning
by The Marvelous Mad Madam Mim
Summary: All good things must come at a price. But is the cost always worth it? Story 2/4 in the Dark Side Series.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**_*Author's Note: Here it is, Chickadees--the moment you've been waiting for! Again, thanks for all your positive comments on Dark Side. Hope y'all like this one just as much :) *_**

"_Because of tonight, a Mystic dies."_

_~Tantomile's Prophecy [Full Version of the Vision is located in Chapter 10 of Strange One]_

Bombie must be having a nightmare again.

She thrashed about violently, shaking the entire bed frame. Tugger sat up quickly, looking at the bunk above him with concern. This was not the first time she had woke him with her muffled cries or mutterings as she dreamt of evil things. But never had she kicked so forcefully or cried out so loudly. Tugger began to fear that she would hurt herself.

He peered over the side of the bed cautiously, "Bombie?"

She threw her leg out defensively at the sound of his voice; Tugger barely ducked the blow. From his position on the floor, Tugger could see Bombie's head pop up over the side of the bed, "Tugger, are you OK?"

"Fine," he gave an embarrassed grin.

Bombie's pretty face set in concern, "What were you doing?"

"I was just…uh, checking on you," he admitted, rising back to his feet. His face was now even with Bombalurina's as she leaned over the bed.

She cocked her head quizzically, "Checking on me?"

Tugger nodded. He didn't want to embarrass the queen; he knew she would hate it if he knew about her nightmares. So, he lied.

"I, um, just had one of those feelings, ya know? I just wanted to check on you."

"You just had one of those feelings?" The red queen gave an amused smile. Tugger nodded. She laughed, "Tugger, you sleep like the dead. Nothing in the world could wake you up—not even one of those feelings."

"I…couldn't sleep." Tugger lied again. Why couldn't she just accept it and move on?

Bombie leaned forward, her eyes dancing mischievously in the dark room. "Were you watching me sleep, Tugger?"

"Maybe," he returned her smile.

Bombie shook her head with a laugh, "You are a strange cat, Rum Tum Tugger."

Tugger shrugged, chuckling in agreement. Bombie's face softened in the pale moonlight. She gave a small smile as she whispered, "Well, I'm going back to sleep."

"Good night," Tugger replied, climbing back into his bunk.

Bombalurina's head reappeared over the side, her curious expression making her seem like an adorable kitten, "Seriously, Tugger. Why?"

"I'm obsessed with you," Tugger winked at her. She giggled. She knew he was still lying, but she must have realized that he wasn't going to give a straight answer, because she disappeared back over the edge of the bed. Tugger could hear her shift overhead, curling back up to sleep.

Tugger wondered what could have been dark enough to send the red queen into such a fit. He knew from junkyard gossip that Bombie had a pretty shady past, but she never spoke of it. But that night's episode had proven that she had suffered more than Tugger realized. He heard the mattress creak above him, heard the light sighs that signaled that Bombie had drifted back into peaceful slumber, and made a promise to himself. He didn't know what had caused her such pain, but that night, Tugger swore that no matter what it took, he would make sure that Bombalurina never suffered like that again.

~*~

It had been one year since Tugger's banishment, nine months since Bombie's death, and almost two months since Etcetera had witnessed Skimbleshanks' and Jennyanydots' last stand against Munkustrap.

The young queen watched the sorrowful expression on her mother's face—Jellyorum knew the truth. Etcetera had not breathed a word to anyone about the horrific scene she had witnessed at the train station; yet Jellyorum seemed to know exactly what had happened to her best friend.

Cetty couldn't stand to look at Tumble anymore. The very sight of him made her sick. Deep down, Cetty was certain that Tumble had no idea what happened to the two cats—he had no idea that the henchrats were really under Munkustrap's control, or that Jenny and Skimble were surely dead by now. But still, he was the cause of their demise. If he hadn't told Munkustrap…

_Then we could all be free by now_, Etcetera thought morosely. She kept playing Skimble's last words over and over in her head—_I've fought too hard to keep my family free—I'm not going to willingly sell them into slavery._

At the time, she had no idea what that meant. Now she knew.

Shortly after Jenny and Skimble's disappearance, Munkustrap introduced a new edict—the harshest one to date. All Jellicles had been forced to leave their human homes to reside full-time in the Jellicle Junkyard. Only certain cats were allowed to leave—and even then, on the strictest of surveillance. Although most of the cats did not agree with this new idea, they went along with it. They were slowly beginning to understand the implications of opposing Munkustrap.

She turned her doleful eyes to her sister, Demeter, who was now heavy with her second litter. She was due any day now. Cetty felt sorry for the unborn kits—they would never know what life was like before Munkustrap became Jellicle Leader; they would never understand the simple joy of freedom, the ability to live with humans and play in the back alleys, or climb the trees in the forest. To top it all off, they would have to live with the shame of having Munkustrap as a father.

Since she had left the Jellicles, Bombalurina had felt the loss of Demeter gnawing at her soul. She missed her friend terribly; there was not a day that had went by that Bombie's thoughts did not turn to the black and gold queen. What was Dem doing now? Did she not realize how truly evil Munkustrap had become?

Bombie knew that Demeter was too weak to stand up to her mate; the red queen only hoped that Munku had not done anything to abuse Demeter's sweet and gentle nature. Still, Bombalurina was eaten by the guilt that if something did happen to Dem, it would be because Bombie was not there to protect her.

The red queen had been looking for an excuse—any excuse to return to her friend. Demeter's pregnancy was the perfect reason, but Tugger had been so adamantly against it that Bombalurina knew she'd have to find another reason.

"This isn't going to work," Bombalurina announced one morning at the breakfast table.

"What?" Tugger looked up, caught off guard by her sudden announcement.

"Bomba's roight," Teaser admitted with a shake of her head. "We can't take on the entire Jellicle Troibe wif jus' four cats."

"The odds definitely aren't in our favor," Tugger agreed.

"From wot Oi 'ear, Munku's takin' care of that for us," Mungo commented dryly as he sharpened his claws on the table top. Teaser gave him a slight swat on the paw for his lack of manners. Noticing everyone's confused expressions, Mungojerrie explained, "Word on tha street says three elders 'ave gone missing already."

"So?" Bomba looked at him curiously.

"The only three elders that were brave enough to oppose 'im," Mungo added.

"Looks like we got out just in time," Bombie turned to Tugger, who nodded in solemn agreement. She turned back to the tiger-striped tom, "Still, that doesn't help us. We need more cats."

"We could pick up a few recruits around town," Rumpleteaser suggested helpfully.

Tugger shook his head, "They're not Jellicles. They wouldn't understand. Besides, I couldn't ask them to fight for something that they don't believe in."

"Well all the Jellicles are locked up in the yard," Bomba commented, flicking away an imaginary piece of lint from her knee. "I've heard that Ole Munku's got everyone there now. No more human homes."

"Which means we're screwed," Mungo announced glumly.

"Which means," Bombie's eyes focused intently on him. "We'll have to sneak back in to get them."

"No way," Tugger stood up quickly. "I'm not letting anyone take that risk."

"We're all adults here, Tugger," Bomba reminded him. "Besides, if we do it right, we can get in and get out before your brother even knows we're there."

"I said no," Tugger glared fiercely at her. The red queen returned his angry stare. There was a tense moment as a silent battle of the wills continued.

Finally, Bombalurina shrugged, "Fine. We won't do it."

"Good," Tugger gave a curt nod. "We'll just have to find another way."

The red queen nodded in agreement, a soft smile on her face.

Teaser knew that look—that crafty twinkle in her big sister's eyes. Bombalurina was going back, whether Tugger liked it or not.

~*~

Tumblebrutus stood at his post, his paws clasped behind his back. It seemed like an ordinary day at the yard. Well, except for the fact that no one was allowed to come and go as they pleased, and the fact that no one smiled anymore. There wasn't any reason to smile.

The young tom looked over at Etcetera, who was staring morosely out into the distance. She must have sensed his gaze, for she turned to see him. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away. There was something odd in her gaze. Could it be fear?

Tumble contemplated this for a moment. Over the past few weeks, Cetty had been acting strangely around him. Well, she always acted strangely, he thought with a wry grin. But stranger than usual.

There were times when she seemed as if she were about to say something, but decided against it. And any time he entered the room, she quickly found an excuse to leave. He simply didn't understand it—they had been friends since they were kits! What had he done to upset her?

Tumblebrutus decided that he would ask her. He made his way over to the queen, who shifted uneasily when she saw him approach.

"Good morning, Cetty," Tumble smiled warmly at her.

"Morning," she didn't return the warmth.

"May I ask you something?"

"I guess," Cetty looked away nervously.

"What's wrong?"

She stopped and looked at him. After a moment of silence, she spoke, "Nothing, Tumble."

"Yes, it is something," Tumble retorted. "For awhile now, you've been acting really weird around me—you don't talk to me anymore, you never look at me—"

"I-I do, too," Cetty countered weakly.

"Look me in the eye right now," he challenged. She was unable to do so.

"See?" His voice gave a slight pitch of desperation. "What did I do, Cetty?"

"It doesn't matter now," she said quietly, wrapping her tail around herself.

"Yes it does," he stepped forward, concern on his young face. "Cetty, my friendship with you does matter. I want to know what I did wrong, so I can fix it. Please, Cetty, talk to me."

"I can't," she whispered, quickly disappearing over the side of the car.

~*~

Tantomile awoke with a sudden sense of urgency. Something was about to happen—very soon. She immediately thought of Demeter. Had the black and gold queen given birth?

No, something told her that Demeter's pregnancy was not what the premonition was about.

_You OK?_ Wherever Coricopat was, he must have sensed her uneasiness.

_Fine. Where are you?_

_Across the yard with Alonzo. Why? Do you need me?_

Tanto smiled at her brother's concern. _No, I'm fine. It was just a dream._

_It's never 'just a dream' with you, Tanto. What did you see?_

_Nothing. I just had a feeling._

_About what? _Cori's inner voice held a tone of curiosity.

_I don't know_, Tanto admitted.

_Some psychic you are_, her brother commented dryly.

_Bugger off, _the black and white queen replied flippantly. She sat up, taking time to survey the yard. Everything seemed to be in order. There had been two new litters of kittens born in the last five months, the kits ran through out the yard happily, yelling and pouncing and fighting and laughing, like kits do. The queens were sunning themselves in a row, chatting softly about this and that as the toms played games and tried to catch the females' attention.

Just an ordinary day.

But something told Tantomile that was about to change.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Hello, Cass," came a low purr that could only belong to Bombalurina. Cassandra whirled around quickly, her eyes wide with shock.

"Bomba! We thought you were dead."

"Sorry to disappoint you," the red queen replied dryly, an amused smile dancing on her lips.

Cassandra looked around quickly, concern filling her pretty eyes, before whispering, "Does Munkustrap know that you're back?"

"Not yet," Bomba smiled coyly.

"If he thinks that you have been with Tugger—"

"Why would he think that?" Bombalurina asked too forcefully. Her tone held an icy chill that filled Cass with a slight twinge of fear.

"Well, Etcetera has been telling anyone who will listen that you and he—"

"Etcetera," Bombie spat the name, as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. "Is a delusional kit with an unhealthy obsession with Tugger and a personal vendetta against me. No one will believe her."

"This isn't good," Cassandra shook her head. "Bomba, you shouldn't be here. You should go, before anyone sees you."

"This is my home," the red queen said staunchly. "I'm not leaving."

Then, hopping down carelessly from her perch, Bomba smoothed her fur, "Now. I'm going to see Munkustrap. Let him know that Bombalurina is alive and well."

This time, Cassandra wisely kept her mouth shut. It would be useless to plead with her friend; besides, Cassandra made it a habit never to beg anyone for anything. She watched the red queen saunter away, oblivious to the implications that her return would raise.

"Oh, Bast," Cassandra breathed a prayer. "Please protect her."

~*~

Munkustrap rubbed his forehead with a heavy sigh. It had been a long day, persuading the Elders to see things his way and accept his newest proposal.

"Tough day?"

That voice. He knew that voice. That low, smoky tone that he hadn't heard in months.

"Bombalurina," he said, not bothering to turn around. "We thought you were dead."

"So I hear," the tone was amused. Munkustrap heard her circle around him; soon the red queen appeared in his line of vision.

"You look fit," Bomba said, her eyes sizing him up.

"Where have you been?" Munkustrap asked, still shocked by her sudden appearance.

"With some friends." It wasn't a total lie. "I got beat up pretty badly by some Pollicles a few months back. Somehow, I found some cats—old friends, from before I returned to the Tribe—and I stayed with them until I got better."

"It's been nine months," Munkustrap pointed out.

"Eight and a half," Bomba corrected with a slight smile. Munku could tell by the look of her face that she wasn't going to tell him anything more.

"Have you seen Demeter yet?"

"No," the red queen admitted. "I came straight to you."

"How thoughtful," he commented.

"Well, you are the Jellicle Leader," Bombalurina reminded him in a low tone. "I was obligated to come to you first. Out of respect."

Munkustrap nodded, although he doubted that Bomba ever had respect for any of the Jellicle customs. It wasn't her style.

"I'm off to see your mate," Bomba flashed a smile. She moved past him smoothly, smiling at the thought of how easily she had tricked him.

But the truth was, Munkustrap wasn't fooled at all. Because as the red queen brushed past, he detected an odd scent. It smelled very much like his younger brother's cologne.

~*~

"Bombalurina!" Demeter couldn't contain her joy when she spotted her old friend.

The red queen laughed, "I'm so glad to see you."

The two embraced, both grinning madly.

"What's this?" Bomba stepped back to survey her friend's large belly. "I go away, and you get pregnant?"

Demeter giggled, "We didn't exactly plan it this time."

"I knew," Bomba admitted suddenly, her expression becoming more serious. Her dark eyes met Dem's light green ones. "That's why I came back."

"Does Munku know?" Demeter asked quietly. She looked around to make sure no one overheard them.

"He knows I'm back," Bombie nodded. "But I don't think he suspects."

"How could he not?" Demeter looked at her friend. She leaned forward, "You smell like Tugger."

"What?" The color drained from the red queen's face. "I do not!"

"Yes, you do," Demeter nodded emphatically. "I can smell his cologne."

"Oh, bast," Bomba fought the hysteria that threatened to rise within her. Surely Munku had noticed. "I mean, we live together, I guess I just got so used to the scent that I didn't even notice it anymore."

"You live together?" Demeter was incredulous.

"Separate beds," Bomba quickly added.

"Oh," Dem suddenly understood.

"So, where's my son?" Bombalurina looked around, her face lit up with expectancy.

"I'm not sure," Demeter admitted. She grinned, "But I know he'll be so happy to see you."

"I should hope so," Bomba laughed.

As if on cue, Misto bounded up, and in an uncharacteristic display of affection, tackled his mother in a bear-hug.

"How did you know I was back?" Bombalurina asked breathlessly. Misto had tackled her pretty hard.

"Cass told me," Misto's face was alive with joy. He hugged his mother again, "I'm so glad you're alive. I thought—"

"I know," Bomba stroked his head comfortingly. "I had to let you think that. I'm so sorry. I couldn't let anyone know."

"Just promise you'll never leave again," Misto looked up at her with solemn eyes.

Bombalurina felt her heart break in two. She gave a small sigh, her eyes not daring to meet his, "I won't. I promise."

Misto instantly knew his mother was lying—and he didn't know why. Unfortunately, Jemima appeared before he could confront her about it.

"Auntie Boms!" Jemima squealed with delight.

"Jemi-bear," Bomba used her old nickname. The two embraced as well.

"We thought you were dead," Jemima said sadly.

"I know," Bomba said gently. "But I'm back now."

Jemima smiled again, wrapping her arms around her aunt once more and snuggling happily up to Bombie.

"Wow," Bomba looked at the growing kit. "You've changed so much since I last saw you!"

"I know," Jemima giggled. Her eyes danced like fireflies, "This year, I will be doing the moonlight solo at the Jellicle Ball."

Her voice took on a conspiratorial whisper, "And don't tell anybody, but I think Pouncival might ask me to dance with him for the mating dance!"

"Oh, really?" Bomba was truly surprised. Things had changed since she left. She tended to think of Pouncival as her personal plaything—she didn't realize that after being away for nine months, perhaps her little love would have moved on. And Jemima certainly was becoming a beautiful young queen.

"Well, I see the old whore is making the rounds," a deep voice commented dryly.

Bomba turned to see her friend perched above them, a soft smile on her beautiful face.

"Cass, come down here," the red queen commanded. "I didn't get to properly greet you earlier."

"You're not gonna kiss me, are you?" Cassandra asked skeptically.

"Never in a million years," Bomba vowed.

The dark queen landed lightly beside them. Bombie quickly wrapped her friend into a hug.

"I really did miss you," she admitted in a whisper.

"Me, too," Cassandra shocked herself with that confession. She noticed Mistoffelees standing next to Demeter, a wide grin on his kittenish face. Why on earth would Misto be here? He barely knew Bombie!

Bomba withdrew from the embrace, a soft smile still playing on her lips. She looked around the yard with a giddy expression. "So, tell me what I've missed. I want all the gossip—don't spare any details!"

Cassandra laughed. That was the old whore that she remembered.

~*~

Pouncival thought he had seen a ghost. He blinked again, rubbing his eyes to make sure they were working properly.

She was still there—still sitting between Demeter and Cassandra, chatting away lazily in the sunlight, that same alluring smile on her luscious lips.

Bombalurina.

She had come back to him—back from the dead! Pouncival felt his heart beat rapidly at the thought of all those nights he had spent with the red queen. They seemed so long ago—he thought they were gone forever! But Fate, it seems, had smiled upon him. His love had returned.

He couldn't contain his joy—he rushed to her, rapturous smile on his young features.

"Bomba!" He cried breathlessly. The red queen sat up quickly in response, slightly surprised by his exuberance.

"Hey, Pounce," she recovered with a low purr. She smiled down at him.

"I'm so glad you're alive!" He couldn't stop grinning.

"Me, too," she giggled. His joy was infectious. Bomba gave a small sigh of happiness. That was what she missed about him—Pouncival always made her smile, always made her feel young and vibrant again.

"So…what happened?" He asked, motioning wildly with his paws. "I mean, we thought you were dead—where have you been? How have you been? Are you feeling OK?"

"I'm doing great, now that you're here," Bomba arched her eyebrow playfully. "But I'm still a bit tired from all my adventures, so perhaps those questions could wait for another day."

"No problem," Pouncival answered happily. Bomba was back; he didn't care how she got here, as long as she was here to stay.

~*~

Tugger entered the room, looking around with a slightly confused expression. "Where's Bomba?"

Teaser cringed at the question. She knew the answer, but she didn't want to tell him

"Oi…uh, oi dunno," she looked away quickly. She really was not a good liar.

"Really?" Tugger put his paws on his hips. He arched his eyebrow quizzically at the young queen. "You have no idea where you sister is?"

"Look, am Oi her babysittah or sumthin?" Teaser asked, crossing her arms defensively. "Foind 'er yourself."

"She went back, didn't she?" Tugger's tone was solemn.

Now Teaser dared to look up at him, her large green eyes filled with fear. "She left this mornin'."

Tugger gave an angry sigh, shaking his head. "She is such an idiot! I told her—did I not tell her that she couldn't go back?! And she nodded and said she understood—and then just went anyway! Pompous, conniving—She could be killed! She could get us all killed!"

Tugger stopped his rant and gave an exasperated sigh.

"You're worried about 'er, aren't ya?" Teaser asked quietly. Tugger dropped his paws in defeat.

"Yeah." He admitted.

"Me, too," Teaser offered a small smile.

~*~

"You're alive!" Alonzo bounded up to Bombalurina, wrapping her into a tight hug.

The red queen gave a small chuckle, "Geez, Lonz. I can't breathe."

"Sorry," he quickly released her. He couldn't keep the wide grin off his face. "I can't believe it."

"That makes two of us," the sound of Munkustrap's voice caused everyone to whirl around in surprise. The Jellicle Leader motioned to Bombalurina, "A word, if you don't mind."

Bomba gave a slight nod. She turned to Alonzo, pasting on a bright smile, "We'll catch up later, Lonz, OK?"

"Sure thing," Alonzo nodded in agreement, stepping aside so that the red queen could make her way to Munkustrap. Demeter and Cassandra shared an uneasy glance as Munku and Bomba walked away.

Munkustrap waited until they were out of earshot to speak.

"So, why are you really back?" He asked.

Bomba gave a simple smile, "This is my home. I belong here."

Munkustrap gave a soft chuckle, "Don't play games, Bombalurina. We both know you don't belong here."

"What a hurtful thing to say," Bomba's tone didn't sound very hurt.

"You came back for something," Munkustrap continued, ignoring the red queen's comment. He looked her in the eye, "So what is it?"

Bomba's mouth deepened into a smile, "Oh, Munkustrap. You always were one for conspiracy theories."

"You haven't answered the question," Munku replied flatly.

"I came back to see you," she said carelessly.

"Don't be flippant," Munku told her.

"What?" Bomba's eyes were wide with feigned innocence. "You don't think that I would come back to see you? After all we've been through?"

"Don't go there," Munku warned.

"I'm getting tired of your constant directions on how to carry on a conversation," Bomba replied tersely, flipping her whiskers with an agitated sigh. She crossed her arms with a pout, "You're no fun at all."

"Why did you come back?" Munkustrap asked again.

"I have better things to do than listen to this," Bombalurina turned to go. Munkustrap caught her by the elbow, jerking her roughly back to his side.

"Answer the question."

"You're hurting me," the red queen pulled back, trying to loosen his grasp.

"I'll hurt you even more if you don't answer the question." The look in Munkustrap's eyes told Bomba that he was dead serious. For the first time, she was filled with fear.

"I came back for Dem," she whispered, her dark eyes helplessly searching Munku's. It was a half-truth; Bomba prayed that Munku didn't discover the second half. "I knew she was expecting, and I didn't want her to be alone."

"She isn't alone. She has me," Munkustrap stated.

"That isn't enough," Bomba said quietly. This time, she did not dare look Munku in the eye. In all the years that she had known the silver tabby, she had never seen him act so threateningly.

Munku sighed and released his grasp. Bomba was right. Ever since the red queen had left, Demeter had been acting differently. He knew it was because his mate missed her friend. Still, this did not assuage the nagging feeling within his mind.

"Just remember: I'm watching you," he turned and disappeared into the yard once more.

Bomba stood there, her face completely blank. He knew. The red queen felt her mouth go dry with anxiety. Her days were numbered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**_*Author's Note: "Good People, I missed my introduction!" (only hard-core A Knight's Tale fans like me will understand that quote). I fully intended to dedicate this story to one my most loyal readers, ELECTRICJELLICLE...or someone equally fabulous, as requested. So here's to you, EJ. You've been with me basically since day one. Don't leave me yet--I have many stories left to tell, dear friend.* _**

Tugger moved back and forth at a rapid pace, his paws clasped behind his back and his brow furrowed in concern and agitation.

Rumpleteaser wanted to tell him to stop, that he would wear a hole in the floorboards of the rickety old loft, but she was too afraid to speak up. Mungo sat beside her, a worried expression on his handsome face as he watched the Rum Tum Tugger silently go insane.

"It's been two days—two whole days," Tugger muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"She's foine," Teaser assured him. "Ya know Bombie's a survoiver—she'll be back in a day or two, wif a few new recruits, roight as rain."

"That's what you said two days ago," Tugger growled. Mungo and Teaser exchanged uneasy glances. Tugger was becoming more volatile with each passing day.

Teaser quietly stood up and left the room. Mungo followed her, closing the door gently behind him. He turned to the tiger-striped queen, a concerned look on his face, "Oi wonder wot's taking 'er so long."

"Oi dunno," Teaser admitted, her large green eyes wide with fear. "Oi jus' hope she's Ok."

~*~

Bomba cradled the newborn kit, crooning a soothing tune as she swayed back and forth gently. She glanced over at Demeter, who was now sleeping peacefully, curled up with her other two newborns.

Jemima entered the den on silent paws, her eyes filled with wonderment.

"Are you ready to meet your new brothers and sisters?" Bombalurina asked with a smile.

Jemima nodded wordlessly.

"This," Bomba looked down lovingly at the kit in her arms. "Is Aleyn."

The red queen jerked her chin in the direction of the other two kits. "And the dark one is your brother, Deuteronomus. And then there's your other sister, Catrice."

"They're so tiny," Jemima whispered breathlessly, bending over to gently stroke their soft fur. Demeter stirred slightly at the sound of her daughter's voice. The black and gold queen opened her eyes, which were still heavy with sleep.

"Hello," she smiled softly at Jemima. "Is your father here yet?"

Jemima shook her head. "He's on his way."

"He's going to be so disappointed that he missed this," Dem gave a light chuckle. Bomba smiled in agreement.

"Go back to sleep," the red queen gently deposited the kit beside Demeter. "You need it."

"No argument there," Demeter wrapped her tail around her little ones and drifted back into a deep and satisfying slumber.

"C'mon, Jemi," Bomba wrapped her arm around the little queen. "Let's wait outside."

Misto was waiting anxiously outside the den.

"How is she? Are the kittens OK?" His face was filled with concern.

"She's fine," Bomba gave a reassuring smile. "The babies are fine, too."

"Oh, Misto, they're beautiful," Jemima gushed.

"I can't wait to see them," he admitted.

"You will. Soon," Bomba ushered the two cats away from the den. "Right now Demeter needs her rest."

Just then, Munkustrap rushed onto the scene. "How is she?"

"They're all fine," Bomba reassured him. "Two girls and a boy."

"I can't believe I missed it," he muttered, smoothing the hair on his head in agitation.

"Well, you're here now," Bomba stepped aside, motioning for him to enter. "That's all that matters."

Munkustrap hurried into the den, anxious to see his mate and his newborn kits. Bombalurina felt a chill run down her spine as the silver tabby brushed past her. It had been two days since their conversation, but Bomba had not forgotten the Jellicle Leader's words.

Bomba turned her thoughts back to Demeter. The red queen felt a sense of accomplishment—she had been there for Demeter; she had helped her friend through the birth and had been there to welcome her newest loves into the world.

But she also felt a slight twinge of regret—now that she had fulfilled her wish, it was time for Bombalurina to return to the others. It was time to go back to Tugger and Teaser and Mungo. But this time, she wasn't going alone.

Bomba turned to her son, "Misto, let's go for a walk."

The tuxedoed tom nodded in agreement, hurrying to catch up with his mother.

They walked around the edge of the yard for several minutes without speaking. Finally, Misto broke the silence.

"So, are you going to tell me why you're leaving this time?" He looked up at the sky, squinting in the mid-afternoon sun.

Bomba felt her heart stop. She had hoped to break the news gently, to save her son's tender heart. But as usual, Misto's sense of perception was deeper than she assumed. She quickly recovered, answering softly, "I have to, Misto."

"I see," he replied. He blinked back tears, trying to control the conflicting emotions of sadness and anger that were rolling around in his chest. He wanted to cry, to scream at his mother, to ask her why, to say no, he didn't understand. But he simply kept quiet. Abandonment seemed to be his lot in life. It seemed that every time he found someone to hold on to, they disappeared. His mother was a prime example of this.

"I want you to come with me," Bomba spoke, her voice quivering with uncertainty.

Misto turned to look at his mother, whose dark brown eyes gazed upon him with fear and sorrow.

"You do?"

The red queen nodded, biting her bottom lip. "Look, I know it's dangerous—that's why I didn't take you with me last time. But I think it will be even more dangerous for you if you chose to stay."

"Why?"

"Because if Munku finds out that you're my son—"

"How could he?" Misto looked at her. "Demeter is the only cat who knows that."

"Exactly," Bomba said quietly, her gaze dropping to the ground.

Suddenly, Misto understood, "You're afraid that Munku will use me against you."

Bombalurina nodded. She looked out at the horizon, trying to keep the fear and tears from her voice, "There's going to be a war soon, Misto. I could never fight against you. And if Munkustrap ever hurt you…I'd never forgive myself. I need you with me, where I can protect you."

"I can protect myself," Misto replied. There was a sudden harshness in his voice. "I took care of myself just fine before you came along; I can do it again."

"Don't be like this," Bomba pleaded. "I know you think I'm running away—"

"You are," Misto countered. He motioned back to Dem's den. "What about Demeter? And Jemima? And the kits? You're just going to abandon them, to save your own skin?"

"I am leaving so that I can fight for them," Bomba replied earnestly. She was reaching for Misto, trying to draw him into her, but he quickly moved away. "I am going to fight to free them, but I can't do that here. I have to go back—"

"You don't have to do anything," Misto cut her off. "You just want to. That's how it's always been, isn't it? It's always about what you want. And the rest of us just get thrown to the side, left to deal with the aftermath on our own."

"I did not abandon you," Bomba's voice was filled with a sudden ferocity. "You had Demeter, and Jemima—"

"But I needed you!" Mistoffelees cried out, his voice cracking in desperation.

There was a moment of silence as Misto's words sunk in. Bombalurina stared at her son in a mixture of shock and regret. Misto looked down at his paws.

"I needed you," he repeated softly. "But you weren't there."

Misto turned a quickly walked away. Bomba stared at his retreating form, shocked by her son's confession. But her shock was quickly replaced by a deeper feeling—she was not going to leave him here; not without a fight. Every motherly instinct inside of her bellowed to save her son from the impending doom that Munkustrap would orchestrate when he discovered Misto's lineage.

Bomba rushed after her son, grabbing his arm and jerking him around with a ferocity that stunned Misto.

"I know I haven't always been there for you, but I have always loved you. I've let you go twice and I swear to all the cats in Heaviside, I won't let that happen again. Either we both go, or we both stay. The choice is yours, son."

Mistoffelees looked into his mother's dark eyes. They were hard, unrelenting. He knew that she meant what she said—if he stayed, then so would she.

But he also saw something else in his mother's eyes—desperation. He knew that she was right—a war was coming, it was brewing on the horizon. And despite his love for Demeter and Jemima, Misto knew which side he must choose.

"Alright," he finally spoke, lowering his head in acquiescence. "We go."

Bomba stepped back, slightly shocked by her son's decision. But her shock was soon replaced by a sense of purpose. She gave a curt nod, "Good. We'll have to leave soon. Just be ready to go at any moment. Understand?"

Misto nodded. Finally, he asked the question that had been on his mind for quite some time, "Will I be able to see the kits before we leave?"

The red queen's face softened at this request. She patted her son's cheek, "Of course."

"Good."

Misto walked beside his mother as they made their way back to Demeter's den. Bombalurina looked up at the sky, a sentimental smile on her lovely face.

"You know, I remember the day you were born."

Misto didn't comment.

"Mac was so nervous—an absolute basket case," Bomba chuckled at the memory. "He was so worried—about everything…the kits, me. He kept pacing around the room—"

"You've never called him that before," Misto pointed out softly.

"What?" Bomba turned to her son.

"My father. I mean, you never really talk about him, but even when you did, you've never called him Mac."

Bomba took a moment to savor her memories. She gave a sad smile, "That's who Macavity was back then. He was Mac, and I was Red. In some small way, he'll always be just Mac to me."

She suddenly pulled herself out of her reverie, "But that was a very different time. Long before things went wrong. C'mon, we need to get back to Demeter."

Misto nodded, following after his mother. So his father hadn't been a total monster after all.

~*~

Cassandra stared out at the yard with unseeing eyes. Not that there was anything worth seeing anyways. Day in, day out, things never changed. Nobody left, nobody came in. The yard was in permanent lockdown.

_With the exception of Bomba_, Cass mused. Somehow the red queen had found a way to slip into the yard—past the guards and alarms, right past Munkustrap's nose.

Which meant she also knew how to get out.

The dark queen sat up at that last thought. Surely Bombalurina knew how to escape—how else could she have gotten in?

Cassandra's heart began to beat wildly as she thought about it—a chance to escape. A chance to be free. Freedom! Oh, the very word seemed to fill Cassandra with joy!

She had to find Bombalurina. She had to beg the red queen to show her the way out. She _had_ to.

~*~

Tantomile watched Demeter's den from a safe distance. From the relaxed expression on Jemima's face, Tanto knew that Demeter was doing well. Still, that did not keep the black and white queen from worrying.

Over the past two days, Tantomile had felt a growing uneasiness. She wasn't sure what it signaled, but she knew it wasn't good.

Perhaps she should take her concerns to Munkustrap. After all, as a newly-installed member of the Council of Elders, it was Tantomile's duty to ensure the Tribe's safety.

Tanto shook her head at the thought. Who would've ever guessed that she would become an Elder? Tantomile, the freak! But Munkustrap had asked her and her brother Coricopat to join the Council after their parents disappeared several months ago. There was still no word about what happened to Skimbleshanks and Jennyanydots. Tantomile had never been very close with either of her parents, but she still hoped they were OK.

She had even tried to find them through her telepathic skills, but every time she tried to open a telepathic portal, there was no response from either of her parents. Either they were too far away, or they were too emotionally distant to sustain any connection with their daughter. Tantomile was certain that it was a combination of both.

"Something the matter?" Corico appeared beside her.

"Nope," she gave a slight shake of her head, clearing away her muddled thoughts.

"So I heard Demeter had her kits today," Cori commented.

Tantomile nodded. She did not feel comfortable discussing this with her brother. Perhaps it was because anything and everything about Demeter made her feel uneasy—she still felt partially responsible for Demeter's kidnapping. Perhaps it was because deep down, Tanto knew she would never know how it felt to be a mother.

"We have another meeting of the Elders tomorrow night," Tanto changed the subject, looking across the yard. If she looked her brother in the eye, then Cori would see the unshed tears glistening in her yellow orbs.

"I dunno why," Corico grumbled. "Munku doesn't listen to the Elders' advice. We're really just figure heads."

Tantomile gave a heavy sigh, nodding in agreement with her brother's comment, "Still, we are expected to attend."

"I'll be there; I just won't be happy about it," Corico mumbled.

Tanto couldn't help but grin at her brother's juvenile response. Typical Cori.

~*~

Cetty rushed up to the den, Jellyorum at her heels.

"How is she?" The little queen turned breathlessly to Jemima.

"She's sleeping," Jemima replied. Her eyes danced joyously, "But the babies are beautiful!"

"Oh!" Cetty gave a squeal of delight. "I can't wait to see them!"

"Come in, Cetty," Demeter's groggy voice sounded from the den. Apparently her younger sister's squeal had awakened her.

Etcetera and her mother walked into the den. Jemima followed them.

"How are you feeling, love?" Jellyorum leaned over her daughter, a warm smile of motherly concern on her face.

"I'm fine, Mom," Dem returned the smile. She sat up gingerly, moving so that she didn't disturb the kittens. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"They're perfect," Jellyorum agreed softly as she stroked the sleeping babes. "Have you named them yet?"

Demeter nodded and recited the names, "Deuteronomus, Catrice, and Aleyn."

"Good Jellicle names," Jellyorum gave a nod of approval.

"Good Jellicle names," Demeter agreed, a soft smile on her lovely features.

"Can I hold one?" Cetty asked in a whisper. She had never been around newborns before. Demeter nodded and gently lifted a dark little ball of fur, offering it to her little sister.

"This is Deuteronomus."

"Hello," Cetty said softly. The kit just snuggled against her and drifted back to sleep. "He's precious."

"They all are," Jemima agreed, taking Catrice into her arms.

Jellyorum took the remaining kit, "Oh, Demeter, I'm so proud of you. I remember the day Jemi was born."

"Me, too," Demeter gave a wry grin. "I've never been so scared in all my life. Thank goodness Bombie was there."

"And thank goodness she was here this time, too," Jellyorum added.

Cetty did not respond. She found it to be very bad luck that Bombalurina had returned. First, she had stolen Tugger. Now, she had come back to ensure that Etcetera would never find a mate—not so long as all the toms continued to follow Bomba around like homeless puppies. It seemed that every time something went wrong in the little queen's life, Bombalurina was at the center of it.

~*~

Misto sat in the pipe—his newest hiding place, since he no longer had the luxury of a human home. It was the only place in the yard where he could have peace and quiet.

So he was leaving. In a few days, whenever his mother gave the signal, Mistoffelees would walk away and never return. He would leave his home and his friends, to follow his mother—his mother and an idea that he felt was worth fighting for.

The tuxedoed tom's thoughts instantly turned to Victoria. Would she miss him? More importantly, who would protect her?

Electra walked into the pipe. As soon as she saw Misto, she quickly backed away, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in here."

"No, no, it's quite alright," Misto stood up. "I was just leaving."

Electra shook her head, "No, I'll find somewhere else. It's—"

"I insist," Misto climbed out of the pipe and motioned for Electra to enter.

"Well, if you insist," Electra gave a small smile as she slid easily into the large pipe. She turned to face Misto, "You can stay, if you want."

"I wouldn't want to disturb you," Misto replied.

"I could use someone to talk to," Electra offered a friendly smile.

"But we barely know each other," Misto pointed out.

"Only one way to fix that," Electra shrugged. She patted the space beside her, "Sit and talk to me."

~*~

Bombalurina's chest filled with a renewed sense of purpose. She was going back to the rebels—and this time Misto was going with her. But the red queen wasn't leaving just yet. She still had a few more recruits to round up.

Before she left, Bomba and Teaser had discussed a list of possible candidates for recruitment. They had agreed that Bombalurina would have better luck with the younger toms—the ones who were still young enough to be swayed by her obvious charms. The older ones, like Alonzo and Asparagus, possessed a sense of duty, a loyalty to the Tribe. They would be too tough. Even if they disagreed with Munkustrap's ideas, they would never betray the oaths they had taken.

Bomba and her younger sister had ruled out the chance of bringing any queens along with them. Bombalurina was not exactly a crowd-favorite with the females.

So the red queen set about the task of calling all her young followers to join to rebel faction.

As if on cue, Bomba spotted Pouncival across the yard. Their eyes met. She gave a small smile. His face lit up. He furtively motioned to the deserted corner of the yard—their old meeting spot. Bombalurina's smile deepened and she gave a small nod. Pounce gave their usual signal for "tonight", and Bomba nodded in agreement. Tonight she would gain a new recruit—and have a little fun in the process.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Bombalurina waited nervously in the corner of the junkyard. She was practically on pins and needles—for two very different reasons.

The first was very obvious—Munku had made it quite clear that he was after her head, and recruiting more rebels certainly would add to the Jellicle Leader's dislike.

The second reason was a bit more personal. Bombalurina hadn't seen Pouncival in almost a year—and after nine months of constant Tugger-contact, the red queen's hormones were in over-drive. The sexual tension between Bomba and the maine coon had been almost excruciating over the last few months—especially since they had become room mates. So in a way, Pouncival was her knight in shining armor, saving Bomba from the disgrace of finally caving in to Tugger's obvious charms.

A light rustle caused the red queen to turn around. She breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized Pouncival's form.

"I came as soon as I could," Pounce gave a breathless grin. His expression softened, "I've missed you."

Bombie didn't speak. She grabbed Pouncival, pulling him to her as her lips met his hungrily. She gave an inward chuckle as she felt that familiar spark that always accompanied the taste of Pounce's lips.

"I have something very important to ask you," she kept her voice low, so that no one could overhear them.

"What is it?" Pounce asked.

"We'll talk about later," Bomba's tone became husky. Now was the time for actions, not words.

Pounce just smiled and did as he was told. He was a no-fuss kind of tom. That was why Bombalurina liked him. As his arms slipped around her once more, the red queen remembered exactly what she loved about the tom—everything.

~*~

"I mean…I dunno," Electra gave a heavy sigh. She looked forlornly out at the yard, "I just know something's gotta change soon. Before things get worse."

Misto nodded in agreement. He suddenly realized that he had been talking with the dark queen for over two hours. He couldn't believe what he asked next.

"Would you like to go away?"

"What?" Electra's gaze snapped back to Misto's face.

"If you could, would you run?" Misto asked, his tone low and serious. Electra knew he wasn't joking.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation.

Misto took a deep breath, praying that he was making the right decision, "As you know, Bomba's back."

"Yes," Electra nodded. She still couldn't see where this was going.

"Well, she came back for a reason," Misto said softly. His expressive eyes met Electra's, "She came back for recruits."

"Recruits?" Electra was confused. Suddenly, it hit her. "Are you serious? Bomba's—"

"Working with the Rum Tum Tugger to overthrow Munku," Misto finished in a whisper. Electra sat there, completely dumbfounded.

"I'm going with her," Misto added. "We're going to leave soon—very soon. Would you like to join us?"

"Are you gonna kill me if I say no?" Electra asked. There was a hint of amusement in her tone now.

"Of course not," Misto replied.

"I'm in," she gave a curt nod. Then, she looked around furtively, "But how will we get out?"

"I don't know," the tuxedoed tom admitted. "I'm sure Boms has a plan."

~*~

"Pounce?" Bomba spoke gently, her head still resting on his chest as she traced odd swirling patterns on his abdomen with her claws.

"Yeah," Pouncival's gaze was fixed on the heavens, which were the odd purple hue between sunset and nightfall.

"Would you come away with me?"

"What?" Pounce shifted, turning his gaze to the red queen. She looked up, her dark eyes pleading.

"I'm leaving again." She said simply. "And I want you to come with me."

"But…why?" Pouncival was confused.

"I can't stay here. I came back to help Dem." Bomba admitted softly. Her eyes never left Pounce's. "You see, the others need me—"

"The others? What others?"

"The other cats who want to overthrow Munkustrap." The red queen stated this so simply, as if it wasn't a big deal.

"What?" Pounce quickly sat up, causing Bomba's chin to slide off his chest.

"Pounce," Bombalurina warned gently, praying his protests wouldn't alert a watch tom. She quickly sidled up to him once more, "Surely you knew. I mean—first Tugger, then me, and then Teaser and Mungo. Didn't you piece it together?"

"I thought it might be a possibility," Pounce admitted. He shook his head, "But I assumed you guys were just gonna go off and start your own tribe—not come back to fight this one!"

"War is a necessary evil," Bomba reminded him. There was something almost harsh in her dark eyes. "There is going to be a battle soon, and Munku will be overthrown. You have the chance to choose which side you will fight for. So choose."

"Bomba, this is serious," Pounce looked at her, the fear evident in his dark eyes.

"I know," the red queen said softly. "Which is why you must choose carefully."

"I'll go," he decided.

"Don't choose our side just because you want to be with me," Bomba warned. "Because once we become comrades, our relationship has to end."

"What?" Pouncival felt like someone had sucker-punched him in the stomach. "Why?"

"Because we have to be focused on the task at hand," Bomba said gently, her gaze dropping to the ground. "And if we're romantically involved, then it will cloud our judgment."

"But what about afterwards?" Pouncival asked hopefully. "I mean, once this is all over, can things go back to the way they were? Can we be together again?"

"Perhaps," Bomba gave a soft smile. Pounce looked so adorable, so hopeful in the pale moonlight—she couldn't break his heart.

Bomba gave him a light kiss on the nose, "Be ready to leave as soon as I give the signal."

"When will that be?" Pouncival asked.

"Perhaps tomorrow," Bomba replied lightly. She kissed him again, "Perhaps the day after. I think I'd like to have at least one more night with you."

"No objections here," Pounce grinned, wrapping his arm around the red queen once more. There was a pang in his heart as he realized that soon, he wouldn't be able to do that—to simply put an affectionate paw around her. That would make their last moments together even more memorable—and even more bittersweet.

~*~

Cassandra's ice-blue eyes roved the junkyard. It was still in the early stages of twilight; for some reason, her vision was limited during this time, when the world walked the line between light and darkness.

She hadn't seen Bombalurina all day. Typical Bomba—just when you needed her, she went AWOL. Cass gave an angry sigh. By nature, she was not a very patient cat, but this was a very important matter—Cass was practically shaking from nervousness.

"You okay?" A soft voice caused her to stiffen. Cassandra recognized Coricopat's tone—and right now, she really didn't want to be around someone who had the ability to read minds.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered quickly, hoping to keep the conversation short so that she could get back to the business of finding Bomba.

"You don't seem fine," Corico commented.

"I'm a bit busy," Cassandra admitted.

"Oh," Corico seemed hurt. "Sorry."

The black and white tom turned to go. Cassandra instantly regretted her terse behavior.

"Coricopat," she turned to him, taking a deep breath. "I…I'm sorry. I'm just—"

"Busy. I know. I heard you," Corico didn't turn to face her. Cass could hear the hurt in his voice and she felt horrible.

"I really am sorry," she took a tentative step towards him. Corico didn't reply. He simply walked away, shaking his head sadly.

Cassandra wanted to run after him, but she willed herself into staying. She couldn't let an emotional tom ruin her only chance to escape. The Abyssinian queen turned her thoughts back to the task at hand. She had to find Bomba. She could patch things up with Corico later—just before she said goodbye.

Suddenly, Cass spotted the red queen. Bomba emerged from the abandoned corner of the yard, looking around suspiciously. Cass gave a wry grin as she realized that Bombalurina must have been making up for lost time with Pounce. Although no one said anything, everyone pretty much knew what went on in the deserted corner of the yard.

"I see the old whore is back in action," Cass commented dryly.

Bomba stepped back, startled by the sound of her friend's voice. Then she gave a laugh of relief, "Jeez, Cass, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"I've been looking for you all day," Cassandra stated. "We need to talk—in private."

Bombalurina simply nodded, following the dark queen as she led the way to the pipe, which seemed to be the most secluded spot in the yard.

"What is it?" Bomba asked, crouching down to enter the pipe. She hadn't been there since she was a kit. She obviously had grown since then—her head scraped the top of the pipe, causing her to cringe.

Cassandra, who was much smaller than Bombie, had no problem maneuvering around in the metal casing. She turned back to the red queen with anxious eyes, "I need you to tell me how you got in—how did you get past the guards?"

"Why do you wanna know?" Boms was instantly suspicious. This was another matter that she and Teaser had discussed—don't trust anyone. Munku had the power to convince anyone to join his cause; his spies would be everywhere.

"Cuz I'm getting out of here," Cassandra replied in a hurried whisper, silently praying that no one was in earshot of her damning confession.

"What?" Bomba looked at her friend.

Cass nodded, "I've been looking for a way out for weeks now. I thought it was impossible—that is, until you came along. So how did you do it?"

"What will you do, once you're free?" Bomba was curious.

"Who cares?" Cassandra shrugged.

"I do," Bombalurina admitted.

Cass took a deep breath. She knew that Bomba wouldn't help her until the question was answered, "I'll start over. Find new humans, have a new life. Get as far away as possible and forget that this ever happened."

Bombalurina nodded, as if contemplating Cassandra's words. After a pause, she spoke, raising her dark eyes to meet Cassandra's, "Ok. Here's the deal: the day after tomorrow, I will meet you at the south side of the yard. At sunrise—just as they're changing the guards. If you aren't there, you'll be left behind. Got it?"

"Got it," Cassandra nodded, trying to keep her grin in check. She still couldn't believe her luck.

Bombie quickly crawled out of the pipe, grateful to be able to stand up straight again. Cassandra emerged behind her, a satisfied grin on her face.

Admetus was walking by at that particular moment; he did a double take and gave a low whistle, "Wow, Bombie, you sure have changed since you've been away. I thought you'd be foolin' around with Pounce right now, not Cassandra!"

"What, Admetus? Are you jealous?" Bombalurina purred. She couldn't resist the urge to flirt.

"Only if you want me to be," he replied smoothly. Bomba gently traced the outline of his face, a soft smile on her lips.

"Good answer," her tone dipped into its trademark low purr. She tapped his nose playfully, "Now run along and be a good boy."

Admetus just shook his head and chuckled as he walked away.

"He's just one step behind Munku," Cassandra warned, peering distastefully over Bomba's shoulder at the tom's retreating form.

"My thoughts exactly," Bombie commented. She, too, wore a disdainful expression. Then, with a careless flip of her whiskers, she turned to go, "I'm on my way to see Dem. Remember: don't be late."

"I won't," Cass promised, turning to trot happily back to her own den. That night as she lay sleeping, the dark queen dreamed of freedom.

~*~

The sunlight suddenly snapped across Rumpleteaser's closed eyelids, causing her to gasp at the sharp wake up call.

"It's been too long," Tugger announced. He was standing beside the window—apparently he had drawn back the curtains to wake up Mungo and Teaser. "We need to go look for her."

"Tugger, she's foine," Teaser groaned, turning her head and burrowing under the covers next to Mungojerrie. "Give it another day or two; she'll be back."

"I'm not waiting any longer," Tugger replied tersely. His tone was serious and slightly agitated.

"Foine," Teaser sat up. "We'll go look for 'er. But can we getta few hours' more of sleep? Ya know Bombsy ain't awake yet!"

Tugger took a moment to contemplate Teaser's words. The tiger-striped queen was right. Bomba was infamous for sleeping the day away.

~*~

"You're up early," Demeter commented with a sleepy smile.

"Just wanted to spend every second I can with these babies," Bomba admitted, smiling as she gently rocked Deuteronomus in her arms.

Demeter was silent. She understood the meaning behind Bombie's words. She had known the instant that the red queen had arrived, but Dem had desperately hoped that her intuition was wrong. Now she knew it wasn't. Finally, she spoke, in a voice filled with heartbreak, "So, when are you leaving again?"

"Tomorrow," Bomba didn't look up. Her face contorted in an uncharacteristic bout of remorse. For a moment, she looked as if she might burst into tears, but she quickly recovered.

"You could come with me," she spoke in a voice as soft as summer rain.

Demeter shook her head sadly, giving a sad, lop-sided smile, "We both know that's not possible. My place is here—with my mate and my kits."

Bomba nodded, biting her lip and blinking back tears. Dem belonged here, just as Bomba belonged with Tugger. The red queen only felt passionately about a few things, so when she did feel this strongly, then she had to follow her heart. She took a shallow breath, trying her hardest to communicate these feelings to her friend, "I just feel like this is what I should do. You may not understand, but…I have to."

"I understand," Demeter said quietly.

Bombie gave a heavy sigh, "Oh, Dem. I just never thought it would be this way."

The red queen sat next to her friend. For the first time, she dared to raise her eyes to Demeter's light green ones. "I wish I could stay."

"Me too," Dem forced a smile, but the sides of her mouth quivered with a silent sob.

"Oh, Demi, please don't cry," Bomba deftly set the sleeping kit aside and drew her best friend to her. Despite her friend's plea, Demeter began to cry, her hot tears staining Bombalurina's shoulder.

"It's just not fair," she mumbled, sniffing and trying to regain composure.

"I know," Bomba was crying, too. She stroked the top of Dem's head, "But you have to be strong. I can't come back, like I did this time. Dem, you have to promise me that you will be strong."

"I will," Demeter whispered. She sat back, wiping away the tears, "As long as I know you're OK, I'll be fine."

"And as long as I know you're OK, I'll be fine," Bomba added with a smile. "So we both have to be strong, for each other."

"I won't die if you won't," Demeter promised.

Bombie chuckled, "Deal."

The two sat side by side in contented silence. This was a new turn for their friendship. Both knew that someday soon, they would be fighting against one another—each fighting for what they believed in. But even this could not tear them apart. They had survived so many of life's storms together—in the grand scheme of things, this was too small a matter to destroy their friendship. Besides, if a war was coming, then this might be the last moments they had together. And they wouldn't waste it bickering.

"But I do need you to promise me something," Bomba turned to Dem, her dark eyes filled with concern.

"Anything," Demeter replied wholeheartedly.

"If anything happens to me, promise me that you'll take Mistoffelees back. Promise me that you won't let Munkustrap hurt him." Fresh tears welled up in Bombalurina's eyes.

"I promise," Dem answered softly. Bomba gave a curt nod of approval, sniffing and pulling herself back together.

"And one more thing," she sat a little straighter. "Don't get knocked up while I'm gone. I can't come back to play nurse-maid again."

Demeter laughed, "I won't."

"Good," Bomba smiled. It was good to laugh with Demeter again. It seemed like old times, as the two queens sat side by side, sharing a smile. It was the moment of quiet before the storm, the chance to gather their wits before all hell broke loose.

~*~

Cassandra stood at the south entrance, shivering in the cold morning air. Her breath escaped her mouth in crisp white puffs, drifting aimlessly across the world like angels of death. She curled her tail around herself in an attempt to keep warm. Suddenly, she spotted Bomba's lithe form emerging from the dusky grey mist that enveloped the yard.

"Good morning," Cassandra spoke. The sound of her voice seemed to shatter the quiet morning like glass. That's when she realized that Bombalurina was not alone—behind her came Pouncival and Mistoffelees.

"Are we ready?" Bomba looked at her trio of followers.

The sound of pounding footsteps reached their ears; all four cats turned simultaneously to see Electra's dark form rushing towards them at breakneck speed.

"I thought you were going to leave without me," she panted as she came to a stop beside Misto. Bomba shot her son a confused look.

"She's coming with us," Misto said simply. Bomba gave a sigh that belied her uneasiness over taking a wildcard like Electra, but she very well couldn't turn the kit down.

"Let's go," the red queen turned towards the fence. Cassandra caught her elbow.

"Wait. What if we get caught?" The dark queen looked around furtively. "The patrol tom will be coming around here any minute!"

"Cassandra, are you afraid?" Bombalurina asked in an incredulous tone. In all the years that she had known the dark queen, she had never seen such fear in those blue eyes.

"Of course I am!" Cassandra snapped defensively. "The last time I was this frightened, Misto was sending me to Macavity's lair to retrieve Old Deuteronomy."

Bomba chuckled, "C'mon. What's the worst that could happen?"

"We'll go missing. Just like everyone else who defies Munkustrap." Cassandra answered quickly.

A wry grin slipped onto the red queen's face, "Then I guess we better not get caught."

Bomba turned and pulled herself up onto the chain-link fence. She deftly made her way through a series of impossible-looking snares and jumps. The four remaining cats stared dumbfoundedly for a moment before following after her, one by one.

Bombalurina felt her chest fill with pride at her accomplishment. She had navigated the obstacle course in less than 30 seconds—her morning exercises with Rumpleteaser had proven effective.

She patiently waited for her followers to join her atop the roof the neighboring building. Once they were all safely across, Bomba turned and made her way to the drainpipe on the opposite side of the roof. Cringing at the sound her claws made on the metal pipe, the red queen slid down and landed lightly in the alleyway. Again, her four companions followed suit.

"What do we do now?' Cassandra hissed, a sudden sense of urgency filling her voice.

"Simple," Bomba answered, her head held high and her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Keep walking. Don't look back. Whatever you do, don't look back."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**_*Author's Note: I apologize for taking so long with this next post...the past two weeks I have been busy with final projects (papers, portfolios, presentations, etc). But now university is out for the summer--and you can bet that Mim will bounce back into fanfic action. And so, Chickadees, for your patience, I present to you...three new chapters!*_**

Demeter sat up, staring at the empty space beside her—the place where Bombalurina should have been.

The black and gold queen had heard her friend rise before the dawn, but Demeter pretended to be asleep. She knew she could not deal with a tearful goodbye—and Bombalurina couldn't either. The red queen would lose her resolve and decide to stay. As much as Demeter would miss her friend, she couldn't allow Bomba to remain in such a dangerous situation. So, she had kept her eyes shut, pretending to sleep as Bomba gently kissed her forehead, leaving behind warmth and a light breeze that could only be described as Bombalurina. The red queen had stopped at the doorway, turning to whisper, "Goodbye, Demeter."

As soon as Bomba had left the den, Demeter's small frame began to wrack with silent sobs. She had cried for hours, it seemed. But now her tears had dried, she simply stared blankly ahead.

Munkustrap entered the den. He immediately noticed that the red queen was missing. He looked at his mate, "Where is she?"

"Gone," Demeter said simply, never breaking her glassy-eyed gaze. Munkustrap quickly rushed out of the den. Demeter gave a deep sigh. Why did goodbye always have to hurt?

~*~

"Electra!" Victoria bounded up to the hole in the tree that served as her friend's roost. "Lecs, wake up!"

Victoria couldn't believe Electra could sleep at a time like this. The whole yard was in an uproar—at least two cats were missing, and no one knew why. Victoria gave a frustrated sigh and climbed up the tree.

"C'mon, Lecs! Bombie and Misto are missing and—"

Victoria discovered that Electra's nest was empty. She looked back towards the center of the yard, where the other cats were milling about and asking questions.

Suddenly, she knew. For months, Electra had talked of nothing but escaping the yard. Victoria had assumed the dark queen was just blowing off steam. Now Victoria knew her friend had been serious.

The white queen bit her lip indecisively. Should she tell Munku? What if Electra hadn't run away with the others—what if she had just seen a chance to escape and took it? What if she came back—would she be punished?

Something inside of Victoria said that Electra had gone with Bombie and Misto, and that she wasn't coming back. Ever.

This was a rather depressing thought for the young queen, who quietly slid down the tree trunk and rested beside the old gnarled oak. She and Electra had spent their entire lives together—both were orphaned at a young age; both had been taken in by Jennyanydots. The white queen took it for granted that they would spend the rest of their lives together as members of the Jellicle Tribe.

But apparently Electra had wanted something different. That was her problem—she always wanted more. She never could just accept what was given to her, like Victoria did. Victoria knew that from day one, her life was meant to be filled with disappointment. So she had accepted it and moved on. Like her relationship with Mistoffelees. Weeks before the Jellicle Ball, the two had become quite close. Misto was kind, smart, handsome—everything Victoria could have hoped for. He understood what it was like to grow up without a mother, to wonder about your past. He understood her like no one else did. Victoria had hoped he would ask her to dance during the mating dance, but when the moment came, he just sat there.

In that moment, Victoria realized that he did not care for her—at least not in the way that she cared for him. Then Plato had stepped forward, and, as usual, Victoria accepted whatever was given. She had known a life with Misto was too good to be true. Deep down, a small voice had chanted,_ I told you so, I told you so…queens like you don't get toms like Mistoffelees._

Victoria gave a heavy sigh at that last thought. Since that night, Misto had barely even spoken to her. For weeks after the ball, she had wanted to talk to him, to tell him that she wished it was Mist, not Plato, who held her paw or whispered in her ear. But she had been too afraid—too afraid of what Misto might say. Now he was gone—gone forever, just like Electra—and Victoria knew she would never have the chance to tell him how she truly felt.

"Tori!" Etcetera's high-pitched squeal brought Victoria crashing back into reality. The mixed spots-and-stripes queen bounded up breathlessly, "Cass is gone, too!"

"So's Electra," Victoria said quietly.

Cetty stared at her, dumbfounded by this announcement. Finally, she spoke, "You're joking."

Victoria shook her head. Etcetera gave a short, incredulous laugh. Then, she scurried up the tree, only to find Electra's empty perch.

"Sweet Rumpus Cat," Cetty breathed, her dark eyes wide with fear. She looked down at Victoria, "What do we do?"

"I don't know," Victoria admitted, her eyes mirroring the absolute terror in Cetty's. "I mean, should we tell Munkustrap?"

Etcetera felt her heart turn to lead at the thought. Her mind was suddenly filled with a thousand different memories of the night Skimbleshanks and Jennyanydots were murdered. She couldn't allow Electra to suffer the same fate.

"No," she said quickly, looking around in fear. "Let's not say anything."

"Cetty, they're going to notice she's missing," Victoria whispered. Etcetera's fear was contagious; the white queen felt an oncoming wave of paranoia.

"Then we'll wait until they do," Cetty replied. Her large eyes were pleading, "Please, Tori. You don't know what they'll do to her."

"Who? What who will do to her?" Victoria was both confused and intrigued by her friend's vague statement.

Cetty looked away quickly, "No one. Nothing. Just drop it, Ok?"

Victoria looked up at her friend, her pale face skewed in confusion. Suddenly, Tumblebrutus appeared. Victoria couldn't help but notice how the hair on Cetty's back stood on end.

"Pouncival's missing, too," the young tom announced breathlessly. He shook his head, "Four cats in one day. I can't believe it."

"Me, either," Victoria replied numbly. She avoided Cetty's gaze.

"You guys OK?" Tumble's tone held a hint of uncertainty.

"Yeah," Cetty replied weakly. She knew she looked as guilty as sin—she never was a good liar.

"Where's Electra?"

"She's not here," Cetty said quickly. She corrected herself, "Well, I mean, she's here—but she's not _here_. She's…taking a walk."

Victoria looked at Cetty in disbelief. This cat truly was the worst liar ever.

Tumblebrutus opened his mouth to reply, but Alonzo called to him from across the yard. The patched tom gave a quick nod. He turned back to the two queens, "I gotta go. Could you tell Lecs that I need to speak with her?"

"Sure," the two answered in unison. As soon as the young tom left, they exchanged worried looks.

"What do we do now?" Cetty asked.

"Don't ask me," Victoria replied in a panicked whisper. "You're the one who decided not to tell anyone about Lecs!"

"Oh, like you wouldn't have suggested the same thing," Cetty shot back hotly. Victoria fell silent. Cetty had a point—what other choice did they have?

~*~

They had been traveling for two hours now, but no one had said a word. Finally, Bombalurina turned to Cassandra with a smile, "This is where we part ways, old friend."

Cassandra gave a curt nod. That was part of the plan—she would stay with Bomba until they were out of Jellicle Territory, then Cass would set out to begin her new life, away from any mention of the Jellicles or the life she had led among them. It would be a clean break—no tears, no regrets.

Cassandra turned to go. Bomba quickly moved forward, catching the queen and enveloping her into a hug.

"Good bye." The tears were evident in Bomba's voice.

"Bye," Cass returned the hug. Then she quickly turned away and began walking down the street. But with every step, her feet began to feel heavier and heavier. Cassandra felt a wave of sadness at the thought of parting with her friend. The dark queen had prided herself on being unattached to anything or anyone, but now she felt an odd tug at her heart. She suddenly realized that she didn't want to be alone.

Coricopat's words came back to her, _You can survive without them. Or at least you think you can._

_I can survive without them, _Cass told herself. _I just don't want to._

The dark queen turned to see the four other Jellicles walking down the street in the opposite direction. From their slow gate, she knew that they were reluctant to part ways as well. Cassandra took a deep breath and ran after them.

"Wait…where are you going?" Cassandra called out, causing the others to stop and turn to face her.

"We're going to find Tugger," Electra announced. "To fight Munkustrap and save the others."

"What?" Cassandra's blue eyes went wide with shock. She turned to Bombalurina, "Is this true?"

Bomba didn't reply. She merely gave a small smile. They had not discussed Bomba's reason for leaving; she had felt it was best to keep Cass in the dark. It was for Cassandra's own safety.

"Then I'm going with you," the Abyssinian queen declared.

"Cass…" Bombie's voice became low and serious. Her dark eyes focused on her friend, "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course," Cassandra offered a small smile of her own.

Bombalurina nodded. She knew this was a big decision for Cassandra. The dark queen did not possess a pack mentality like the other Jellicles—she did not harbor any close bonds or cling to family loyalties.

"We'd better get moving," Bomba quickly resumed an air of all-business. "They've probably figured out that we're gone. We've got to get as far away as possible."

Misto, Electra, Pounce, and Cassandra all nodded solemnly as they quickly hurried after the red queen.

~*~

Tugger strode across the loft purposefully. Yesterday, Teaser had done everything within her power to keep him from searching for Bomba—and she had been quite successful. But today, nothing would stop the maine coon from going after his friend.

_Friend_. The very word made Tugger cringe. True, he and Bomba had become quite close during their time spent in exile, but that word always reminded him of their conversation—the one in which Bombalurina stated they could never be more than just friends.

Tugger had always been attracted to her—and he knew she was attracted to him as well. She might act as if she hated him, but those beautiful brown eyes of hers didn't lie. At first, Tugger assumed that he liked her because she was female. After all, what female didn't catch his eye? Then, he told himself that he enjoyed being with her because she played hard-to-get. He continued making excuses for why he felt like this around her, but finally, the Rum Tum Tugger had to admit defeat.

He was falling for her.

Oh, Tugger didn't think he truly loved Bombalurina…yet. But he felt that he could—a scary thought for a notorious heartbreaker like the Rum Tum Tugger.

So he had made up his mind. He would go out, find her, and tell her how he felt. And if the stars aligned in his favor (which he prayed they would), then Bomba would forget this silly 'friends only' rule. And perhaps they could see just what this thing was between them.

Tugger nodded in self-agreement. This was a good plan. A very good plan. It certainly couldn't be any worse than sitting around the loft, wishing she would come back, or spending the rest of his life wondering _what if?_

_~*~_

"Here we are," Bombalurina opened the heavy wooden door. The hinges creaked from disuse. A few cobwebs waved in greeting at the newcomers.

"Lovely," Cassandra wrinkled her nose distastefully.

"Creepy," Pouncival corrected.

"It'll do," Electra smiled optimistically.

"It'll have to do," Bomba replied. "You can't go back now."

The four Jellicles just shrugged in acquiescence at this statement. The red queen made her way up the staircase, "Let's go. Four flights of stairs and then we're home free."

~*~

"Oi think we should wait," Teaser fiddled with her pearls nervously. She knew there would be no stopping Tugger this time. "Oi mean, giv'er a day or two more. Oi'm shore she'll be 'ome soon."

"Not soon enough," Tugger replied.

"Tease is roight," Mungo said gently, his face filled with concern. He knew this was killing Tugger, but it was the right thing to do. In a situation like this, they couldn't let their emotions get the best of them. "Give it a day or so, then we'll go afta 'er."

"I'm not waiting any longer," Tugger shot the two tabbies dark looks. "I'm gonna find her and I'm gonna find her today."

~*~

"Almost there," Bomba smiled over her shoulder at the others. Cassandra nodded, trying to keep her breathing steady. She hadn't realized how out of shape she was, but four flights of stairs had proven it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Do they know we're coming?" Pouncival seemed unphased by the activity. His young, healthy body was in tip-top shape.

Bomba flashed another grin, "I thought we'd surprise them."

~*~

Tugger burst out the door, casting one last dark glance at Teaser and Mungo. He turned back around—only to crash into Bombalurina's looming form.

Bombalurina had been looking over her shoulder, not paying attention. She slammed into Tugger full-force. The impact caused the red queen to fall back onto Cassandra, who gave a short yelp of surprise, toppling back onto Misto, who fell onto Pounce, who leaned back onto poor little Electra, who tried her hardest to keep the domino pile of cats from falling.

Electra gave a shriek as her legs gave way, and the five-Jellicle-pileup went crashing down to the third story landing.

"Tugger!" Bombalurina gave an irritated yell, pulling herself from the tangled web of legs and tails.

The maine coon's maned head popped over the railing, "Bomba! You're back!"

"Yes, and thanks to you, I'm bruised," the red queen growled, dusting off her coat and pulling Cass to her feet. "Why don't you watch were you're going?"

"I was going to look for you." Nothing could kill Tugger's joy. Bomba was back; all was well.

"Well, I'm here," Bomba did not share Tugger's happiness at their reunion.

"You brought recruits," Tugger smiled warmly down at the other four Jellicles, who had risen to their feet and were dusting off their coats as well.

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you didn't try to kill them on their first day," Bomba put her paws on her hips, shooting Tugger a dark look.

Tugger just smiled. She was so cute when she was angry.

"What's with the dopey grin?" The red queen challenged. Now that she was in a bad mood, she was looking for anything to fight about. She was angry—not at Tugger, but at herself. The moment of running into Tugger—seeing his face, hearing his voice—had caused her heart to skip a beat. This made her unsteady, which didn't help when Tugger rammed into her. Her school-girl twittering heart had sent four Jellicles, as well as herself, tumbling down the staircase like slinkies.

"I'm just glad you're back," he replied.

"Wot's goin' on out 'ere?" Teaser rushed through the doorway. She instantly spotted her elder sister, "Bombie! Yore back!"

The tiger striped queen hurried down the stairs, quickly catching her sister into a hug that surprised both of them.

"Oi was worried ta deaf about you," Teaser scolded gently. "And poor Tugger 'ere, he was goin' outta his head wif worry! Do you know 'ow awful it was, bein' cooped up wif 'im for all this toime?"

Bombalurina laughed at the last comment. She motioned to the four cats assembled dutifully behind her, "Was it worth it?"

Teaser smiled at the newcomers, "Yeah, it wos."

By now, Mungojerrie had joined Tugger at the top of the stairs. He beamed down at the new recruits, "Welcome 'ome, rebels! C'mon in, we'll foind a place for ya to sleep."

Electra's stomach gave a small grumble. She grinned sheepishly.

"Dohn' worry," Mungo smiled. "We'll fix that, too."

Teaser turned and hurried back up the stairs; the others followed. Tugger personally greeted each cat as they entered the loft.

"Ah, Misto," Tugger tried to hide his sudden dislike. This was the little runt who apparently had stolen Bomba's affections. "Good to see you."

"You, too, Tugger," Misto didn't care for the maine coon, either. But he was a friend of Boms, so it was necessary to be polite.

"And Cassandra—I can't believe it!" Tugger beamed at the dark queen.

"That makes two of us," Cass gave a wry grin.

"Well, I'm glad you're here," Tugger added.

"Me, too," Cass nodded in agreement.

"Electra," Tugger gave a wry shake of his head. "I should've known you'd be in this bunch. Always were the troublemaker."

Electra just grinned. Coming from Tugger, it seemed like a compliment.

"Pounce," Tugger suddenly remembered Bomba's fling with the young tom. "I didn't expect to see you—I figured Munku had his hooks in you early on."

"Never," Pouncival vowed. Bombalurina gave him a warm grin as she re-arranged the pillows, providing seats for the others. Tugger fought the urge to wring the kit's scrawny neck. He would definitely have a word with Bomba about that later.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Munkustrap gave an aggravated sigh. No news. They had spent the entire day searching for the missing cats, but to no avail.

_Bombalurina_, he thought to himself. _I should've known she'd come back to cause trouble_.

But his mind instantly turned to another individual—The Rum Tum Tugger. Of course! Bomba was a rebel by nature, but she wasn't smart enough to concoct such a plan. But Tugger—he was a clever cat. A stunt like this seemed right up his alley.

Munkustrap shook his head. He should've taken care of this. He should've gotten rid of Bombalurina the moment she walked into the yard—the very second he smelled Tugger's cologne. But his love for Demeter had stopped him. He didn't want to be responsible for the death of his mate's closest friend, even if that friend was a traitorous whore.

_Demeter!_ Munkustrap sat up at the thought. She would know where Bombalurina was! The look on her face—that completely stoic, unsurprised expression—told Munku that his mate had been expecting Bombalurina to disappear again. As much as he hated dragging Demeter into this, it seemed like the only way. The traitors had to be found and punished. He could forgive Electra, Mistoffelees and Pouncival—they were innocent, easily influenced kits. But Cassandra knew full well the consequences of her actions. And Bombalurina—she didn't stand a chance. Her guilt had been established the instant she had returned.

The Jellicle Leader quickly made his way to the den. Demeter was curled up beside her kits, her tail wrapped around them in a protective fashion.

Jemima instantly sat up when her father entered the room. The dark look on his face told her that something bad was about to happen.

"Jem, go outside and play," Munku said in a serious tone. The young queen obeyed.

Demeter sat up, blinking her eyes groggily. "What's wrong, babe?"

"Four cats are missing," Munkustrap said harshly. "And I think you know where they are."

"Me?" Demeter was visibly shocked. She rose to her feet, gingerly maneuvering her body around the three sleeping kits. "How in Heaviside would I know where they are?"

"Because Bombalurina is your best friend," Munku stated. "You two share everything."

"We do," Demeter agreed. "But she didn't tell me where she was going."

"So you did know that she was leaving."

"Yes, but—"

"And you chose not to tell me?"

"Munku, I—"

"Which means you deliberately aided a traitor," Munkustrap finished coldly. His words hit Demeter like a slap in the face. She stood there for a moment in complete shock.

Finally, she blinked, "Munkustrap, if you want to punish me for being a traitor, then go ahead. I'm not afraid of you."

"Perhaps you should be," Munku growled. There was a tense moment at the two cats stared darkly at each other. The ugly silence was broken by a cry from Deuteronomus. Demeter turned around, quickly taking the kit into her arms and gently soothing him back to sleep. In that moment, Munku knew he could never hurt Demeter—and she knew it, too. Finally, he took a deep breath, "Look, just tell me where they are, and this will all be OK."

"I told you: I don't know," Demeter replied stonily.

"I think you're lying," Munku said quietly. His anger was building once more.

"That's your problem," his mate shot back.

"Tell me where they are!" Munkustrap grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently. In an attempt to keep from dropping Deuteronomus, Demeter squeezed the kit to her chest, causing the kitten to cry out. The black and gold queen's motherly instincts kicked in, and with a forcefulness that neither knew she possessed, Demeter pushed Munkustrap away from her.

There was an awful moment as both cats stood in shock of their actions. But once again, Deuteronomus' cry broke the spell; Demeter instantly turned her attention back to her kit, whom she quieted and deposited back into the basket. She turned back to her mate, her light green eyes never daring to look at him.

"I think you should go."

"Demeter," Munku gave a tentative step towards her. She immediately retreated. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean—"

"It's fine," she said quickly, turning her face from him.

"No, it's not," Munkustrap replied. He moved towards her again. This time she did not move away. "I let my anger take control, and I hurt you. I'm sorry."

"Me, too," Demeter whispered. She still did not look at him. She felt the need to make amends as well, "I really don't know where they are. I just know that Bomba was going back to Tugger."

Munkustrap nodded. He had suspected as much. Now came the hard question, "Demeter, will you promise me that if Bomba does contact you again, you will let me know?"

Demeter nodded, turning back to face her mate. She knew it would be an easy promise to keep—Bomba had already made it quite clear that she would not contact Demeter. She took a deep breath, her light green eyes focusing on Munku, "But you have to promise me one thing, too."

"What?" Munku suddenly felt a wave of suspicion.

"If you do find them, Mistoffelees lives," Demeter remembered her vow to Bombalurina. "Whatever you do, Misto will be allowed to rejoin the Tribe."

"You have my word." Munkustrap had no idea why Demeter would even care about that tuxedoed runt, but he really didn't care. It was an easy promise to keep—so long as Demeter didn't ask Munku to spare Bombalurina's life.

Demeter didn't ask that because she honestly didn't think that Munkustrap could ever catch Bomba—the red queen was too clever for such a thing. But Misto was young and not as wise as his mother.

Munkustrap offered one last smile before leaving the den. Demeter noticed that despite the wide grin, it did not reach his eyes.

~*~

"So, where's Lecs?" Tumble seemed to appear from nowhere.

Cetty jumped back, slapping her paw across her chest, "Sweet Rumpus Cat, Tumble! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Where's Lecs?" The young tom was undeterred by Cetty's reprimand.

"I don't know," Cetty replied. It was the truth—she had no idea where the dark queen was.

"Well, when did you last see her?" Tumblebrutus asked with a heavy sigh. Sometimes Cetty could be so dense.

"This morning," the mixed queen stated vaguely.

"Where was she?"

"At the tree. She said something about needing scrap metal—I think she's working on a project or something," Cetty lied. "She's probably at the northwest corner of the yard, where all the old tin is."

Tumblebrutus nodded and bounded off in that direction. Cetty looked around quickly. It wouldn't take long for Tumble to realize that Electra was not there—and then he'd be looking for Etcetera again. She needed to get out of sight.

~*~

"It's so good to be home," Bomba gave a contented sigh as she sat before her mirror. It was a large, oval shaped frame that had been left by the loft's previous owners. Naturally, the red queen had claimed it as her own and hauled it into the room she shared with Tugger.

Tugger just nodded. The evening had been spent finding bedding and space for the four new recruits—they were temporarily sleeping in the floor of the main room.

"Is something bothering you?" Bomba's dark eyes met Tugger's through the reflection.

"There is something I think we need to talk about," Tugger said quietly.

"What, are you pregnant?" Bomba teased.

Tugger did not find her statement humorous. He had spent the better part of the day brewing over Pouncival's arrival—he had noticed every little glance, every smile exchanged between the young tom and the red queen. He couldn't take it any more.

"Look, if you and I have to go by the friends-only rule, then so do you and Pouncival," Tugger said sternly. He was angry—he hoped this statement would hurt Bomba as much as seeing Pounce had hurt him.

Surprisingly, the red queen just nodded. "I agree. Which is why I ended things with Pounce before we left. He understands that we cannot pursue a romantic relationship while we are at war."

"And what about after the war?" Tugger asked, crossing his arms.

Bombalurina gave a soft smile. She merely shrugged, "Who knows?"

"I think you do," Tugger stated.

"I don't, really," Bomba turned prissily back to the mirror.

"Liar," Tugger retorted.

Bombalurina just smiled, "Rum Tum Tugger, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you were jealous."

"I'm just thinking of Pouncival's best interest," Tugger retorted. "Does he know you can't have kits?"

Bomba stopped—her face paled, as if she had been punched in the stomach. She bent her head down, took a deep breath, and then raised her eyes to meet Tugger's through the looking glass, "That was completely uncalled for."

"It is the truth," Tugger said, trying to justify his actions. But nothing could ease the awful feeling inside his heart—he knew he had cut Bomba to the quick.

"I never knew you could be so hateful," she said simply. With a heavy sigh, she turned away from her reflection, as if the sight of her own face was too much to bear.

Tugger felt like the worst cat in the world. But his pride kept him from apologizing, from telling Bombalurina exactly why he was so angry.

The red queen stood, brushing past him without lifting her head, "I'm going to bed."

Tugger just stared straight ahead. He heard the crates creak slightly as Bomba climbed onto the second bunk. He didn't know what to say or do, but he knew he would have to make things right between them. He had hurt her; he had used the one secret that she had trusted him with—the one secret that he had sworn didn't matter.

Tugger remembered the night of the Jellicle Ball—the night Bomba had told him all of her secrets. She had shown every scar—both emotionally and physically—and then she had looked pleadingly up at him, holding her breath as she awaited the words of condemnation that were sure to follow. But Tugger had seen past the scars—and he had loved what he saw. He had told her that is was Ok, that it didn't matter. He had kissed her, ever so softly in the balmy moonlight.

He hadn't kissed her since then. And since then they had continued to fight almost constantly. But never had he been cruel enough to bring up her past.

Tugger gave a deep sigh. He was supposed to be telling her how much he cared, not tearing her down with hateful words. He looked back at the bunk, at Bomba's form, which seemed so small now that it was curled up. He thought he saw her shoulders give the slightest heave, as if she were crying, but he didn't hear her sob. She was too hurt to accept an apology right now. Perhaps he should wait until morning.

~*~

"Up and at 'em, cats!" Teaser's high-pitched voice sent the new recruits crashing into consciousness.

"Ugh…what time is it?" Cass rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Toime to get to work," Teaser replied, taking away Pounce's blanket, which the young tom had burrowed under in an attempt to escape the morning's rays.

"Hey!" Pounce whined, sitting up.

"Get a move-on, Pretty-Boy," Teaser said cheekily, moving around the room and making sure that everyone was waking up. "Let's go, cats! We can't win a war if you're all a buncha lazy bums!"

~*~

Bombalurina cringed as she heard Teaser's cheerful voice cajoling the newcomers. She gave a groan and rolled over in bed, trying to block out her little sister's chatter.

Tugger sat up, his mind instantly returning to the thought that had filled his mind as he drifted to sleep. He had to apologize to Bomba.

"Hey, Bombie?" He peered over the edge of the bed. The red queen did not reply, but he could tell that she was awake. "About last night—"

"Forget about it, Tugger," Bomba replied.

"I just wanted to say—"

"I said drop it," the red queen's tone held an edge of steel. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok," Tugger said quietly. After a pause, he added, "Are we still friends?"

"Tugger, we never were friends," Bomba replied coldly. She sat up and gracefully slid to the floor. With a careless flip of her whiskers, she opened the door and joined the others.

Tugger gave a deep sigh. He had hurt her deeply—it would take a lot more than an apology to make up for this one.

~*~

Electra raced along, following Pouncival's form across the obstacle course of rooftops and chimneys. Several roofs ahead, she could see Bombalurina's red coat shining in the early morning light as the red queen kept pace with Rumpleteaser. How did they move so quickly?

The young queen redoubled her efforts. She would prove that she was a good recruit. She knew that Bomba had been skeptical about letting her come along; now Electra felt that it was necessary to prove her worth.

She pushed herself to go faster, even though her muscles were screaming for rest. She misjudged a leap and fell between the two rooftops. Luckily, Electra's reflexes took control—the young queen caught a clothesline and deftly catapulted herself back onto the roof.

When she landed, she turned to see the other Jellicles staring at her.

"What?" Electra looked around, confused by their sudden stop.

Bomba and Teaser ran back to join them. The tiger striped queen's eyes were wide with wonder, "'Ow did you do that?"

"I just caught myself and swung back up," Electra said simply. She couldn't understand what the big deal was.

"And this happens very often?" Bomba looked at her. "I mean, do you always catch yourself like that?"

Electra nodded. "I've always been good at acrobatics."

"Good?" Pouncival looked at her. "That was awesome!"

"You definitely have a gift," Cassandra agreed.

"Really?" Electra cocked her head to the side curiously. She had never thought she was anything special.

"Really," Teaser nodded. "We can definitely use a cat wif yore skills."

Bombalurina gave a small grin of agreement. Electra felt her chest fill with pride. She had proven herself.

~*~

"Demeter," Alonzo entered the den anxiously. His kittenhood friend raised her head, smiling in response.

"Alonzo. What's up?"

"We have to protect Bombie," he said quickly. "Munkustrap thinks that she's in cahoots with Tugger—he's got a price on her head. If she comes back—"

"Lonz," Dem gave a small smile. "She's not coming back this time."

"How do you know?" Alonzo stopped, his face pale at the thought of never seeing his friend again. Since her abrupt arrival—and even more abrupt departure—the black and white tom had not had much time to catch up with Bomba. Now he felt doubly cheated.

"I just…know," Dem sighed. She looked away, the pain now evident on her face as she remembered, "There was something in her eyes—something I've never seen before. And when she said goodbye, it saw so…final. She just smiled softly and said 'Goodbye, Demter.' Just like that: 'Goodbye, Demeter'. And then she walked away. Didn't look back. Bombie never looks back."

There was a thoughtful pause as Demeter contemplated her own words. Then, she shook herself from her reverie, turning to Alonzo once more, "She's not coming back. She has made her peace, and now she's gone forever."

Alonzo bowed his head sadly as he absorbed the meaning behind Demeter's words. With a small sigh, he added, "I suppose it's for the best."

"Yes," Demeter said quietly. "I suppose it's for the best."

Alonzo turned to leave, but something stopped him. Hesitantly, he asked, "Dem, is everything…OK? I mean, are you and Munku getting along?"

"Of course," Demeter smiled brightly, forcing a cheerfulness that she did not feel into her voice. "We're all doing just fine."

Alonzo gave a heavy sigh. He shook his head, "Dem, you always were an easy read. Now I know something's wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Anytime you start acting all chipper, then it means that something isn't right." Alonzo pointed out. "So, how are you really?"

Demeter gave a sigh of defeat. Alonzo was right—things weren't just fine. She really didn't want to get him involved; after all, he was Munkustrap's brother, and certain things should remain between mates. But the black and gold queen needed a friend—and Alonzo seemed to be the only cat who fit that description.

"I'm just…at odds with myself," Demeter admitted. "As the Jellicle Leader's mate, I have a certain duty to the Tribe—"

"But you also have a duty to yourself and your friends," Alonzo pointed out.

Demeter smiled warmly, "Yes, I do."

Then the petite queen gave a frown, "Which is why I feel torn…I mean, should I tell Munkustrap everything I know? Or should I protect Bombie? I love them both very much; I don't want to hurt either of them. But now I feel like I have to choose."

Alonzo waited for Demeter to continue. When she did not, he asked, "And?"

"And I honestly don't know who to choose," Demeter said sadly.

"Perhaps you don't have to," Alonzo said helpfully. Noting Dem's confused glance, he added, "Perhaps the choice will be made for you."

"Maybe I've already made my choice," Demeter stared down at her three newborn kittens, who were all sleeping peacefully in the basket. "Maybe I just haven't realized it yet."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Tugger hummed to himself as he gathered the flowers from the neighboring garden. Lilies, Bombie's favorite. The maine coon glanced around the garden, looking for anything else that might please the red queen. He spotted a brilliant red rose—perfect.

The tom reached up to pluck the flower, but he fell over into the rosebush. He was instantly attacked by a battalion of thorns, which caused him to yelp in pain as he jumped out of the tangled bush.

He looked around quickly, making sure that no one had witnessed the embarrassing event. The coast was clear. He breathed a sigh of relief. Then he meticulously plucked the offending thorns from his fur and returned his attention to capturing the elusive flower.

"Wot are you doin'?" Teaser's voice caused him to stop.

"Uh, nothing…I just…" Tugger looked at the queen's confused expression, down at his flowers, and then back to Teaser. He took a deep breath, "I'm picking flowers for Bombie. The rose would be perfect, but I can't reach it."

Teaser gave a snort, "Perfect analogy fo' yore relationship, innit?"

"What?" Tugger looked at her.

"Nuffin," Teaser sighed. She jumped atop the fence and walked across, gracefully leaning over and picking the rose in a single fluid motion. She leapt, landing deftly on the garden path beside Tugger. "'Ere ya go."

"Thanks," Tugger beamed, holding the rose up for inspection. "This ought to do the trick."

"You musta' done something really stupid to make 'er this mad," Teaser commented dryly. She arched a quizzical eyebrow, "Oi mean, flowers? That's big."

Tugger nodded. "I made a big mistake. Bomba won't even speak to me."

"And you think a coupla' petals are gonna fix that?" Teaser looked at him as if he were insane.

"It's worth a try," Tugger replied.

"Well, good luck," Teaser turned and left the garden, shaking her head in disbelief. Tugger was off his rocker if he thought flowers would really soothe Bomba's temper.

~*~

Victoria wrapped her tail around herself nervously, glancing over her shoulder and praying that Cetty would hurry up.

"It's done," Etcetera brushed past her, practically sprinting away from the booth. Since the disappearances, Munkustrap had re-instated the daily sign-in. Cetty and Victoria, in an attempt to keep up the image that Electra was still there, had decided to forge the dark queen's signature.

"Are you sure no one saw you?" Victoria asked as she ran after her friend.

"You were the one keeping watch—you tell me!" Cetty hissed as she scurried into the pipe. Victoria joined her; the two young queens peered out cautiously at the surrounding yard.

"I know, but what if someone was hiding in the shadows or something?"

"Tori," Cetty groaned. "I'm already freaking out as it is—don't add to it!"

"Sorry," Victoria looked down at the ground. Still, she couldn't help but feel like they were going to get caught. "How long do you think we can keep this up?"

"At least for another day or two," Cetty shrugged. "Or until we come up with a plan."

"A plan? A plan for what?"

"I don't know," Cetty admitted with a sigh.

Victoria rolled her eyes. Typical Cetty—running around, committing crimes and then finding herself unable to justify those actions. What could they possibly do to bring Electra back? How could they possibly explain why they forged her signature, or why they didn't report her missing?

Etcetera seemed to read Victoria's thoughts, "Don't chicken out on me, Snowflake. We've got to protect Electra."

"How can we protect her when she's not even here?" Victoria demanded.

"Shhh! Someone might hear you!" Cetty looked around quickly.

"I don't care!" Victoria grumbled, even though it was a lie. "She made her choice—she can deal with it on her own!"

The white queen turned to leave. Cetty reached out, grabbing her friend fiercely. The absolute terror in Cetty's eyes was enough to make Victoria stop dead in her tracks.

"Do you know what they will do to her, if they find her?" Cetty asked solemnly. Her young face contorted in sadness as she continued tearfully, "They'll kill her. Tear her limb from limb, just like—"

Cetty's voice broke with sobs. She had never told anyone what she had witnessed that night at the train station.

"Just like who?" Victoria leaned forward.

Cetty just shook her head, her shoulders heaving with sobs. She wanted to tell someone, anyone! But she couldn't. It was too much.

"Cetty, talk to me!" Victoria pleaded. She could tell her friend was in tremendous emotional pain. "Cetty, what did you see? Who was it? Cetty, please!"

Cetty's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her jaw moved silently, as if she was trying to talk but couldn't. Finally, she regained her voice and choked, "I-I-I-I can't, Tori, I can't."

"Yes, you can," Victoria wrapped a comforting arm around her friend. "I won't tell anyone—I swear."

Cetty shook her head vehemently. She pushed the white queen away, "No. You don't—you shouldn't—I shouldn't be talking about this. It's too dangerous."

"Cetty!"

The small queen just shook her head. Nothing could convince her to tell her secret—especially when that secret could kill everyone who knew it.

~*~

Everyone waited, anxiously holding their breath as Bombalurina entered the loft. She had been gone for most of the day—no one knew where, but everyone knew why. She and Tugger were having a fight of epic proportions.

Breakfast had practically been nuclear warfare as the red queen stared darkly at the maine coon, who tried his best to make conversation. He had failed miserably. That afternoon, he had returned with a peace offering of flowers, which he had set beside her beloved mirror.

And now came the moment of truth. Bombalurina quickly went to her room, without so much as a glance at any of the others, who were seated around the table in a game of cards. The door closed. A beat passed. Had the peace offering been successful? Would this ugly silence end?

The door opened once more. Everyone returned to their cards with renewed interest, as if their lives depended on the card game. The red queen left the loft again.

Teaser was the only one brave enough to venture into the bedroom. The flowers were gone; a single red petal rested on the windowsill.

"She threw 'em out the window," the tiger-striped queen announced sadly. Everyone just shook their heads. It was worse than they thought.

~*~

Victoria studied Cetty's face. Although the mixed spots and stripes queen was seated beside her, Cetty had retreated a thousand miles into the depths of her mind. From the saddened expression on her usually bright face, Victoria could only guess that Cetty's thoughts were dark and terrible.

How did Cetty know what would happen to Electra? She couldn't, unless she had witnessed it. Unless she had seen someone else murdered.

The thought sent a chill down Victoria's spine. She stared at Cetty's large brown eyes, which were glazed with unshed tears. What had those dark orbs witnessed? What cruelties had Cetty's young mind endured? What nightmares awaited, once those eyes were closed in sleep?

Victoria gave a slight sigh. Etcetera had been acting strangely for several months now. Her confession was the answer to her odd behavior—not only had Cetty seen a murder, but she also knew who the murderer was.

Which was why she couldn't tell Victoria. The white queen was not stupid—she knew that Cetty's silence was for her own protection. But her friend's fear also bore an ill omen. It meant that whomever the murderer was, he or she was still lurking within the Tribe, amongst the other innocent Jellicles. Who knew when the villain would strike again?

~*~

"So, didja get the flowers I left for you?" Tugger asked hopefully. He was seated on his bunk, while Bombalurina was positioned in front of her mirror.

"I did." The red queen said simply. Even though she sat before the mirror, she did not look at her reflection.

"And?"

"I'm allergic," she flipped her whiskers nonchalantly.

Tugger gave a heavy sigh. This was the first time Bomba had spoken to him all day—since morning, when she declared that they had never been friends. She had stayed out all day, came home long enough to toss out the flowers, and then went out again, staying out til after supper.

"Bomba, can we talk?" Tugger asked, although he was certain the question was futile.

"We are talking."

"You know what I mean," Tugger sighed. "Can we talk without you setting up that stone defense?"

"I'm tired," she replied in an emotionless tone. She stood and made her way back to the bunk. Without so much as a glance at Tugger, she climbed up and promptly went to sleep.

The Rum Tum Tugger looked sadly up at the bunk above him, but he didn't say a word. Since his banishment, Bombalurina had become his closest friend. Even when they did fight, they always made up afterwards. But this was not one of their ordinary fights.

Bombalurina mentally chided herself for acting so foolishly. She shouldn't have been so cruel to Tugger—after all, she had baited his anger intentionally. She knew that he didn't care for Pounce; she saw the jealous light in his amber eyes. And she had purposefully flirted with Pouncival. In her mind, she was repaying him for making her fall earlier that day. She expected Tugger to be jealous, but she hadn't thought he'd be so hateful about it. Her not-so-innocent joke had backfired.

There was a time when Tugger would have risen to the challenge, when he would have played her mind games. That was all that she had wanted—for him to flirt with her again, to tease her and drive her wild with his smart remarks and his coy attitude. That was the Tugger she remembered. That was the Tugger she missed.

Apparently that Tugger was gone. Bomba gave a slight sigh at the thought. She knew this was a strange new world—since Munku's ascension to the Jellicle throne, everything had changed. But why, oh why, couldn't some things stay the same?

~*~

"Is she gonna be OK?" Cetty looked up at her mother, who was cradling Aleyn in her arms.

"She'll pull through," Jellyorum smiled down at her youngest kit. "You were sick a lot when you were a kit, too."

Etcetera nodded, but the worry was still evident in her young face. She looked over at the other two kits, who were sleeping peacefully. Demeter had gotten sick shortly after giving birth; it seemed that she had passed the virus on to Aleyn.

"She's going to be fine," Jellyorum reassured Cetty. She could tell that the young queen was still concerned. "I promise."

But something in her mother's eyes caused Cetty to feel another tremor of fear.

~*~

"Good Mornin'!"

Misto gave a groan at the sound of Teaser's voice. Surely it wasn't morning already! But a quick peek informed Mistoffelees that it was, in fact, time to start another day.

Electra quickly leapt to her feet. She was eager to spend the morning on the rooftop obstacle course—she wanted to hone her newly discovered skills. Teaser said they could use a cat like her; Electra liked the idea of being useful.

Cassandra pulled her sore and tired body out of bed. She briefly wondered why she was here—this certainly was not part of her plan! But deep down, the dark queen knew she wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.

Pouncival opened his eyes, but he didn't get out of bed. He was taking the last few seconds to savor the warmth of his covers. He watched silently as Mungo and Teaser moved about the room, preparing for the day ahead. Cassandra and Electra walked around the room, slowly stretching their tired muscles. The door opened and Bomba emerged. She wore the same stoic expression that she had when she came in last night. Tugger followed her, his mouth drawn into an angry line.

Pounce gave a sigh. It was going to be another long day.

~*~

Cetty woke up and anxiously looked over at the kittens' basket. She and Jellyorum had spent the night in Demeter's den, caring for the sick kit. Demeter, who was still ill, had been moved over to the adjacent den, in hopes that she would not give the virus to the other two babes.

"Any better?" She asked hopefully.

Jellyorum gave a shake of her head, "Not yet. Give it another day or two; she'll be fine."

Etcetera did not say anything. She simply left the den and went to see Demeter.

"Hey, Cetty," Dem gave a weak smile. She gave a ragged cough. "Sorry. How is the baby?"

"Mom thinks she'll be doing great in a day or two," Cetty replied.

Dem nodded. "Deuteronomus and Catrice haven't got it yet?"

"No."

"Good," Demeter breathed a sigh of relief. She sank back onto the worn-out pillow that served as a bed. "I'm just so tired."

"Rest," Cetty instructed, although it didn't seem like Demeter was going to object. "Mom and I will take care of the kits."

Dem just nodded, smiling softly as she closed her eyes and slipped back into slumber.

Cetty took a moment to watch her older sister sleep. Dem seemed so peaceful…but the dark circles under her eyes testified to her illness and fatigue. There was a strange look of sadness in her sleeping expression, but it really didn't surprise Cetty. Ever since Munkustrap became Jellicle Leader, everyone wore that look—a look of longing, perhaps nostalgia, mixed with something else, something indescribable.

The young queen quickly shook herself from her thoughts and left the den. Tumblebrutus was waiting for her.

"I still haven't seen Lecs."

"What?" Cetty pretended to be surprised. "I told her that you wanted to speak to her."

"And?" Tumble seemed to think this was inadequate information.

"And apparently she doesn't want to talk to you," Cetty replied smartly. Tumble's constant haranguing was getting on her nerves—as if she didn't have enough cause to be a nervous wreck! Now she was being harassed by the merchant of death himself—the very same cat who had led Jenny and Skimble to their untimely demise.

Tumblebrutus could not understand Cetty's sudden turn in personality, "What's the matter, Cetty? Is something wrong?"

"As a matter of fact, something is wrong," the queen whirled around angrily. "I've got two sick cats on my paws, and you won't stop harassing me! If you wanna find Electra, do it on your own—I've got better things to do!"

With that, the light colored queen stormed off in righteous indignation. Tumble watched her go, an expression of complete shock on his youthful face. Queens! They were so moody.

~*~

"Now," Mungo sat up with a self-important air. "You've got ta learn 'ow to disable tha alarm. Ya got ten seconds."

"Ten?" Electra's face paled. She was out doing "intensive training" with Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser.

"It's not hard at all, love," Teaser offered a reassuring smile. "Wotch me."

The tiger-striped queen deftly entered the store-room window, swinging her body into the rafters. She ran across the pole, her short tail waving precariously as she trotted towards the black box. With nimble paws, she quickly opened the box and cut a few wires with her claw. She turned triumphantly back to Mungo and Electra, "Alroight. It's done."

Mungo nodded and followed Teaser. Electra hurried after him.

"What do we do now?" The dark queen asked uncertainly.

"Woteva ya want," Mungo smiled. "The coppers won't be coming anytoime soon."

Teaser snorted in agreement. She produced a burlap sack from seemingly nowhere, "Let's get ta work."

Electra felt a twinge of fear. "Are you guys…stealing?"

"Um…no, no, of course not," Mungo replied, although he didn't sound very sincere.

"We're jus…borrowing without the intent to return," Teaser supplied helpfully.

"Why?" Electra seemed uncertain.

"Cos it's good trainin'," the tiger striped queen answered simply. "If you can ge' in 'ere, and not get caught, then you can do anythin'."

Mungojerrie nodded in agreement. "It's not about the money, Lecs. We jus' throw this junk away afterwards."

"Then why steal it at all?" Electra was confused.

"Why not?" The two identical tabbies asked in unison.

Electra gave a sigh. She didn't understand their philosophy, but she did want to work on her newly-discovered skills. Seeing that they had won the argument, Mungo and Teaser exchanged grins.

"C'mon," Teaser motioned back up to the rafters. "Oi'll show ya how to deactivate the alarm. And next toime, you can do it yourself."

~*~

Tugger gave an angry sigh as he stared out at the midmorning skyline. He felt restless and uneasy—this prolonged fight with Bombalurina was wearing him down. From the moment they decided to take down Munku, she had been his right paw, his second-in-command, his partner in crime and his closest friend. And now it was all gone—all lost because of a few stupid, angry words.

He heard a noise and turned towards it. It was Bombalurina, along with Cassandra, Pouncival, and Mistoffelees, who were all coming back from their morning rooftop run. For the first time in several days, Bombalurina was actually smiling as she chatted aimlessly with Cassandra. Pouncival and Misto stayed a few steps behind the two queens, but the dopey, love-struck expression on Pounce's face was enough to make Tugger's blood boil.

"Good morning," Misto smiled at the maine coon. Tugger gave a nod of acknowledgement, but his eyes were focused on Bomba, who did not speak. The two faced off, staring hatefully at each other.

Cassandra glanced uneasily at the two cats, "I'm…gonna go inside now."

The dark queen quickly left the rooftop, followed by Pounce and Misto, who cast fearful glances over their shoulders at Bomba and Tugger, who had yet to move or speak.

There was an odd silence—the kind weighted with dreadful anticipation, like the moment before a tornado hits.

Tugger thought for a moment. Soft words had not worked. Flowers had been a complete flop. Even grand apologies had been a total failure. So he resorted to the only thing left: anger.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Tugger demanded. "I mean, I bend over backwards, and all you do is sit there, with that stony expression on your damned face!"

"Because I'm angry at you!" Bomba yelled, matching Tugger's volume.

"I've apologized a thousand times over!" Tugger threw his paws up in an angry gesture.

"Well, I'm still angry!" The red queen shot back. The frustration was evident in her voice.

There was a moment of ugly silence as the two cats stood, arms folded defensively across their chests. They both knew there were acting like selfish, petulant kits, but neither was quite ready to let it go.

Bombalurina gave an angry sigh, "Look, Tugger, I don't want to deal with this right now."

"Well, you're going to have to do it sometime," the maine coon retorted.

"Not now," Bomba's tone was low and threatening. Despite Tugger's anger, he knew better than to push the subject further. Without another word, the red queen stormed away angrily.

Tugger mentally kicked himself for his stupidity. Yelling at her was not the way to end this—it had only made matters worse. He sat down, squinting as he looked up at the sun. Sweet Heaviside, this was growing into a fight of epic proportions.

~*~

Bombalurina sat before her mirror, staring blindly ahead. Ever since Tugger's hateful comment, she had been unable to actually look at herself in the mirror. She thought back to when she had first learned that she couldn't have any more kits—she had sunk into a deep depression, often spending days at a time in an almost comatose state. Of course, that was not long after her first litter of kits had been taken away from her.

She had been with Macavity then. For a moment, Bomba briefly wondered what Mac was doing now. It had been years since she'd seen him—and she hoped she never would lay eyes upon the gingertom ever again. Every time she saw him, she was painfully reminded of their past together—a past that had once been filled with love and happiness. Now all that remained were broken, ugly shards.

Much like a mirror. Bomba's gaze returned to the silver pane. With a deep breath to steady herself, she focused her dark eyes on her own reflection.

She looked tired—pale and drawn. With the edge of her brilliant red tail, Bombalurina traced the outline of her face, ever so softly. Even now she was still a beautiful queen.

_But what does that matter?_ She thought morosely. Here, she was supposed to be focused on overthrowing Munkustrap—there was no time of caresses or gentle words in the night. There was no time for romance or the million little intricacies of love. Her beauty and her passion were wasted.

Cautiously, the red queen leaned over, slipping her white-tipped paw behind the mirror frame. She produced the red rose—the only flower that she had kept from Tugger's bouquet. She knew it was meant to symbolize her—a beautiful, vibrant red rose among a world of pale white lilies.

Bombalurina gave a slight frown as she noticed that it was wilting. It needed water, but Bomba wouldn't dare put it in a vase. As far as Tugger knew, she had thrown the whole bouquet away—and she was not going to tell him otherwise. That would just be ammunition for Tugger, and he already had a pretty solid defense against her emotions.

The red queen gave a sigh. The rose was just like her—wilting, dying from lack of love and attention. Bomba returned to her reflection.

"Mirror, Mirror," she propped her chin in her paw. "Who is the saddest rose of all?"

The silver pane did not reply; instead it just stared sadly back at her. The answer seemed obvious.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Jellyorum gently rocked Aleyn, who was wailing loudly, as all babies do when they are unwell.

Jemima watched her grandmother with anxious eyes. Aleyn didn't seem to get any better—in fact, she seemed worse. Demeter was recovering quickly, but it seemed that the newborn's immune system was not ready for such a hit. Aleyn refused to eat; she fussed and cried, constantly tossing and turning.

Jellyorum gave a slight frown as she felt the kit's forehead. Her fever had risen to a dangerous new level. The kitten was deathly ill—she desperately needed human help.

"Jemima," the calico turned to the young queen. "Go fetch your father. Tell him it's urgent."

Jemima nodded, her large eyes wide with fear. She darted out of the den, running as fast as her short legs would carry her.

The sight of her father filled her with relief. He seemed so strong, so wise—he could stop this sickness from ravaging her baby sister's body. He could make it all go away, just as he had chased away the monsters and other figments of Jemima's imagination when she was younger. He would save her, protect her, make it all better. He was her father—that was what fathers did.

~*~

Tugger stared at the bunk above him. Bomba hadn't spoken, hadn't moved since he came in. He twiddled his thumbs anxiously. He needed a miracle—one that would end this awful fight between them.

Bombalurina stared at the ceiling. She had already been in bed when Tugger entered the room; she was relieved when he didn't try to make small talk. But the silence was so heavy it seemed to crush the air from her lungs. She knew he was still awake, waiting for her to speak, to forgive him, but she couldn't do it. Her tongue stayed firmly glued to the roof of her mouth, as if completely incapable of speech.

Just when it seemed that the silence would completely crush them, a screech shattered the night. They sat up simultaneously, gasping in surprise.

"Mistoffelees," Bomba instantly recognized the voice. She leapt from the bunk bed—as soon as her paws hit the floor, she was running. Tugger was right behind her. He followed her through the living quarters, onto the landing, and down the stairs.

The red queen stopped when she spotted her son. Tugger, who was still charging after her, rammed into her. This time, Bomba was too distracted to yell at him.

"Misto!" Her voice was little more than a breathless whisper. It held the mixture of horror and fear that only mothers possess when they see their offspring injured.

The tuxedoed tom was on the third story landing, holding his paw, which was soaked in blood. Bombalurina rushed over to him, cradling him in her arms as she gently inspected his paw.

"What happened?" Her face was filled with shock as she noticed the large amount of blood.

"I heard a noise," Misto replied shakily. "So I came down to see what it was…it was a rat."

"What kind of rat?" Tugger was instantly suspicious. Bomba and Misto's heads snapped up, as if they just realized he was there.

"A large black rat. Like the ones down at the wharf."

Bombalurina looked solemnly up at Tugger, who was still standing on the stair case, engulfed in the night shadows. But even in the dark, the maine coon could see the fear in her eyes—and he knew why. Black wharf rat was code for Macavity's henchmen.

"I tried to stop him, to ask him what he was doing here, but he bit me," Misto held up his paw again, as if to prove his point.

Bombalurina shook her head, her voice filled with pain, "Oh, darling, that looks awful."

Tugger visibly started at the word _darling_. Darling? Suddenly he remembered a conversation he had with Bombalurina many months ago—long before the recruits had joined them. She had mentioned that she missed Mistoffelees. Tugger had questioned the statement, but the red queen merely shot him a dark look and refused to answer. Now her tenderness seemed quite self-explanatory. It wasn't Pouncival that Tugger should be jealous of, but Mistoffelees!

"Tugger," the soft sound of Bomba's voice brought him back to reality. "Will you go find some bandages?"

The maine coon nodded and hurried back into the loft. The other cats were all awake, anxiously awaiting news.

"Where's Misto an' Bombsy?" Teaser asked, her beautiful face etched with worry.

"Downstairs," Tugger replied. "They're OK. I'll explain the rest later, when we have all the details."

The others nodded and went back to their beds, although it was certain that no one was going to sleep. Teaser gently took Tugger aside, whispering so that no one could overhear them.

"Munkustrap?"

Tugger shook his head, "I don't think so. Misto said it was a black rat—like the ones down at the wharf."

"Macavity?" Teaser's face was filled with shock. She quickly turned to Mungo, who was standing beside her.

"That dohn' make sense," Mungojerrie's face skewed in confusion. "Wot would Ole Mac want wif us?"

"I don't know," Tugger admitted with a sigh. "But I don't like it."

The maine coon found some spare cloth that could serve as a bandage. He returned to find Misto and Bomba deep in conversation.

"Oh, thanks," Bomba gave a soft smile when she saw Tugger approach. She held out her paw expectantly; Tugger dutifully deposited the cloth in her clutches.

"There," Bomba's voice was soothing as she gently wrapped the bandage around Misto's injured paw.

"Thanks, Boms," Misto offered a small smile. His mother returned the smile, affectionately patting the side of his cheek.

"Now, let's go back to sleep."

In that moment, Mistoffelees had a flashback—to a time before he was taken from his mother, a time he had forgotten. He had been so young back then; something had startled him in the night and he had cried out.

"_There, there," his mother had cooed, gently stroking the side of his face. "It's alright; I'm here. Go back to sleep."_

A sudden rush of warmth flooded the young tom's soul—he finally remembered! Ever since he had found his mother, he had tried to remember what she had been like before he was taken. As hard as he tried, he never could recall a single memory beyond the night he was thrown into the icy river—the night he discovered his powers, the night his sisters died. The night he became truly, utterly alone in the world.

Bomba must have remembered something very similar, too, for she wore a bittersweet expression. Suddenly, on impulse, the red queen drew her son to her, kissing him lightly on the head.

Tugger's face skewed in confusion as he witnessed the scene. He knew he should turn away, that he should discuss this with Bomba later, but there was something different about this kiss. Bomba wasn't being romantic, or even seductive—it was affectionate, almost…_motherly_.

The red queen turned and offered a small smile to Tugger. Wordlessly, she helped Mistoffelees to his feet.

Misto went upstairs. Tugger remained rooted to the spot, his mind still trying to make sense of things. He caught Bomba's elbow as she brushed past.

"What was that?" He wasn't angry, just confused. He had never seen Bombalurina act that way.

"He's my son," she whispered, not even daring to look him in the eye. She gently disengaged Tugger's grasp and slipped silently up the staircase and back into the loft.

Tugger stared blankly ahead into the darkness. A son? Why hadn't Bombie ever mentioned that she had a son?

Suddenly, Tugger knew the answer. Because she had been Macavity's mate—she never would admit it, but everyone knew it was true. Which meant that Macavity might be Mistoffelees' father—in fact, Tugger was certain that was the reason for Bombie's silence on the matter.

_Macavity must not know he has a son_, Tugger thought to himself. Poor Bombie! What terror must have filled her heart, as she tried to hide her son from his father, the wicked Hidden Paw. No wonder she brought Misto to the loft.

Bombalurina gave a heavy sigh as she trudged up the stairs. She shouldn't have told Tugger, but she didn't have any strength left—no strength to fight, or even to lie. She just wanted peace.

The other cats crowded around Misto when he entered the room, asking questions and voicing their concerns over his injured paw.

Misto related the story again; all the cats exchanged uneasy glances. Everyone knew that black wharf rats were Macavity's calling card, so to speak. If you saw one of the dark fiends, their even darker master was soon to follow.

"Why would Macavity come after us?" Cassandra finally asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"How does he know we're here?" Electra added, looking around fearfully. The horrible stories that she had heard as a kit were now swirling around her brain.

"I don't have the answer to either question," Bombalurina spoke softly, wrapping a comforting arm around Misto's small shoulders. With an authoritative air, she straightened up, "We'll worry about that in the morning. Tonight, we need to concern ourselves with keeping the loft safe."

Tugger entered to hear the last statement. He nodded in agreement, "Bombie's right. Teaser, Mungo, you're on patrol tonight."

The identical tabbies gave a nod of agreement, quickly exiting the loft to secure the perimeter. The rest of the cats curled up in their various bunks and crates, looking around uneasily.

Bombalurina gave Misto one last affectionate pat on the head before quietly slipping back into her room. Tugger followed close behind, his mind still reeling with the fact that Bombalurina had a son—a son who carried the blood of Macavity in his veins. This certainly explained Mistoffelees' conjuring skills.

The red queen wordlessly climbed back into her bunk, giving an exhausted sigh as she flopped onto her side. Tugger slid into his own bed, looking up at the bunk above him in a mixture of worry and amazement. Tonight's incident had broken the awful silence between them, even if it was only a brief exchange.

The tom prayed that things would be better in the morning. Besides, they needed to discuss this new development with Macavity—and how to stop it. Tugger knew that Bombalurina, with her insider's knowledge of all things Macavity, would have the best answer to their dilemma.

~*~

"Daddy, come quick!" Jemima pulled her father's tail, the hysteria evident in her youthful voice. "Aleyn's getting worse."

Without a moment's hesitation, Munkustrap turned and followed his daughter back to the den.

"What's wrong?" He asked breathlessly. Jellyorum turned to him with a shake of her head.

"She's very ill, Munkustrap," the older queen spoke softly, her eyes filling with sadness. "She needs help—human help."

"Human help?" Munkustrap's face drained. He shook his head, "That would mean leaving the yard. It's impossible."

"Your daughter's life is at stake, and you're worried about the rules?" Jellyorum shot him a dark look. "Munkustrap, that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Munkustrap did not respond. He knew Jellyorum was right, but he felt that as Jellicle Leader, he was held to a higher standard. At that moment, Aleyn stirred again, giving a pitiful mew. Munkustrap's mind was made up.

"Alright," he sighed, looking forlornly down at his daughter. He gently caressed the top of her head, "Take her to the humans."

Jellyorum nodded. She quickly scurried around the den, preparing for the journey ahead.

Etcetera entered the den. As soon as she saw Munkustrap, her heart stopped with dread, but she quickly recovered. Her life depended upon her ability to remain calm and to keep Munku from suspecting anything was wrong.

Munkustrap was too busy helping Jellyorum to notice Cetty's reaction.

"Etcetera, I've got to take Aleyn to the humans," Jellyorum was still zipping around the den. "So you and Jemima will take care of the other two. It shouldn't take long—I'll be gone for a few days and Demeter is getting better, so she should be back in the den by tomorrow."

Cetty gave a curt nod of understanding. She had never been entrusted with two small kits before—the very idea was absolutely terrifying!

She turned to look at Jemima, who returned her fearful gaze. This was going to be an adventure.

~*~

Rumpleteaser looked around nervously. She hated the dark. Well, she didn't hate it so much as it filled her with absolute terror.

"Mungo?" She whispered hoarsely.

Immediately, two white-tipped ears appeared at the end of the hall.

"Yeah, Tease?"

"Wait for me," she pleaded, hurrying after him on silent paws.

"If we stick togetha', if koinda defeats the purpose of a patrol," Mungojerrie commented wryly.

"You know Oi can't roam around 'ere by moiself," Teaser looked up at him with fearful eyes. "Look at me—Oi'm a nervous wreck!"

Mungojerrie chuckled and kissed the top of her head affectionately. He couldn't argue with that—those beautiful green eyes were filled with terror.

"Alroight," he sighed, although he was wearing a smile. "Stay by me, Love."

Teaser gave a grateful smile and rubbed against him, purring in contentment. The two cats fell into step, circling the entire floor while peering anxiously into every darkened corner and abandoned nook.

"Wot do ya think Mac's up to?" Teaser asked after awhile.

"Oi dunno," Mungo admitted with a frustrated sigh. "Oi know this sounds crazy, but Oi don't think it's Mac at all. Ain't loike 'im. Ain't 'is stoiyle."

"That's wot Oi thought, too," Teaser said quietly. She bit her lip, her cute face crumpling in confusion, "But who else 'as black rats as henchmen? Oi mean, everyone knows that black rats are Mac's employees."

"It jus' dohn' make sense," Mungojerrie sighed again, shaking his head.

"Nuffin makes sense anymore," Teaser agreed. She, too, gave a deep sigh. "Nuffin at all."

~*~

Victoria yawned, stretching in the mid-morning sun. She rubbed her eyes wearily—she hadn't had a good night's sleep since Electra went missing. Cetty's grand idea to fake Electra's presence was draining the life out of her. The white queen was in a constant state of fear. She always wondered what would happen when they got caught. _When_, not _if_. Because eventually someone would notice. Then she and Cetty would have to explain why they lied about their friend's disappearance. And if Cetty's fear was any indication, their punishment would not be pleasant.

"Tori," Tumblebrutus' voice caused the young queen to jump. Victoria had come to dread the sound.

"Yes?" She turned, offering a half-hearted smile.

"Have you seen Lecs today?"

"I just woke up, Tumble," Victoria gave him a reprimanding look. "And why do you keep asking about her? Can't you find her on her own?"

"No," Tumblebrutus admitted. "I've looked everywhere—it's been almost a week now, and I haven't seen her once! It's almost as if…"

Tumble's voice trailed off, but his thought continued. Victoria watched his face anxiously; she felt her stomach lurch when she saw the realization dawn on his face.

"She's gone, isn't she?" Tumble whispered incredulously, turning his eyes to Victoria.

The white queen did not answer. She was too afraid.

"Since when?" Tumble asked. Again, Victoria did not respond. The young tom stepped closer, "Since when, Victoria?"

"Since the others," came the reply. It was barely a whisper.

Tumblebrutus didn't know whether to explode in anger or burst into tears. Electra—gone! And his friends had lied to him about it! What had he done to deserve such deception? How had he lost their trust?

"Why didn't you tell me?" His tone betrayed the hurt he felt.

"We were afraid," Victoria answered quietly. She looked down at her paws. "Afraid of what would happen to Lecs if anyone found out."

"What?" Tumble was confused. "Why weren't you worried about what would happen when she got out on her own? Do you honestly think Electra can survive in the city alone? She's so small, anyone could—I mean, and she doesn't back down from a fight, so if anyone challenges her, she'll take on a whole pack of cats! And all those rough toms roaming the streets—"

"I doubt anyone is going to attack her, Tumble," Victoria said severely, rolling her eyes. She was using sarcasm to cover the fear in her heart.

"Of course they would! She's so beautiful—" Tumble immediately caught himself. He prayed that Victoria had missed that little slip of the tongue, but by the shocked expression on the white queen's face, Tumble knew he was not that lucky.

"What did you say?" She asked in a shocked voice.

"N-nothing," Tumblebrutus stammered, his face turning seven shades of red.

"Did you say Electra was _beautiful_?" Victoria whispered the last word, as if she were incredulous of the idea that anyone could find Electra beautiful.

"She is," Tumble said softly, looking down at the ground. With a heavy sigh, he decided it was time to confess, "That's why I've been looking for her—I wanted to ask her to the Jellicle Ball."

Victoria gave a sudden gasp of understanding. Tumble looked up at her, a small, sad smile on his face, "I guess it doesn't really matter now. She's gone forever."

Victoria's heart went out to the young tom. After all, she knew exactly how he felt—she felt the same loss for Mistoffelees! The thought that she would never see the tuxedoed tom again filled her with a sadness that seemed to crush her very soul.

Still, there were more pressing matters at hand.

"So, what do we do now?" Victoria asked quietly, looking down at her white paws. She knew Cetty would be angry at her for telling Tumble, but it was too late now.

"I don't know," Tumble gave a heavy sigh. "I mean, we have to tell Munkustrap."

"Let's wait just a little bit longer," Victoria suggested.

"What?" Tumble looked up at her, the confusion evident in his face.

"I just don't want Munku to think that Lecs ran off with Bombie," Victoria explained, although deep down, she knew that was exactly what happened.

Tumblebrutus nodded in agreement. "We'll wait."

Victoria breathed a sigh of relief. A few precious days—a high price to pay for a friend's safety, but a price worth paying all the same.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Okay," Electra took a deep breath. "I can do this."

She took a moment to steel herself before dashing into the window. The security system began to beep. She quickly opened the black metal box and expertly cut the wires, just as Rumpleteaser had shown her. The beeping stopped.

"Good job!" Mungo appeared beside her, slapping Electra's back in a friendly fashion.

"Foive seconds. A new record," Teaser nodded in approval as she glanced down at the stop-watch in her paw (they had 'found' it at their last raid site).

Electra couldn't help but smile at their praise. All of her life, she had merely been 'one of the kits', just another orphan in Jennyanydots' charity system. But now she was someone with skills—a cat with a special gift. It was a strange new feeling. She liked it.

"Now," Teaser took on an air of authority. "We need sumfin' catchy…loike some broight string or ribbon."

"What for?" Electra followed the tiger-striped queen through the store.

"Oi'll explain it later," Teaser replied carelessly.

"'Ow about red?" Mungo called across the room. The two queens could hear him rummaging through something.

"Red's good," Teaser nodded. She followed the sound of the tiger-striped tom's voice. Mungojerrie presented a roll of red ribbon with flourish.

"Ere we are, M'love," he beamed.

Teaser just grinned, kissing him affectionately on the cheek. "Thanks, dollface."

Electra looked away, slightly embarrassed. She still couldn't believe that two cats as kooky as Mungo and Teaser could be lovers.

"Alroight," Mungo straightened up. "We best be getting 'ome, ladies. Tugger'll be looking for us."

The two queens nodded and followed the tom out the window, across the rooftops of London. The three cats chattered happily as they leapt from building to building, as if nothing could go wrong in the world. How sadly mistaken they were.

~*~

Bombalurina gave a heavy sigh, furrowing her brow as she stared down at the table top. She still couldn't understand why Macavity would come after them. Unless…

_Unless he knows about Misto._ Bomba's heart stopped at the thought. For the past few years, the red queen had done everything within her power to protect her son from his father—she had even attempted to have Macavity killed! But Munkustrap, who had still seemed so noble at the time, had refused to follow her plan.

So now the Napoleon of Crime was coming for Mistoffelees—for his son, the heir to his empire of crime.

The red queen shuddered at the thought. What would happen if Macavity ever got his evil claws into young, innocent Misto?

"Are you okay?" Cassandra's voice shattered her thoughts, causing Bomba to jump with fear.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Bomba lied, rubbing a paw over her worried brow. "I just…was thinking."

"About what?" Cassandra's ice blue gaze seemed to pierce her friend's mind. She gave a small nod, "Oh. You're worried about Macavity."

"Yes," Bombalurina admitted in a small voice. "Macavity."

Misto and Pounce, who were watching this exchange from the corner of the room, where they were playing a round of cards, gave each other a worried glance. No one had spoken about the incident with the black rat, although it was evidently on everyone's mind.

At that point, Tugger entered the room. He gave a weary smile, although the look in his eyes was one of guarded anticipation.

"Hello," he spoke to everyone, but his eyes never left Bombalurina's face.

"Hey, Tugger," Cassandra returned warmly. "Where have you been?"

"Out," Tugger replied with a heavy sigh as he took a seat across the table from Bombalurina. The red queen's gaze did not leave the table top; she did not dare lift her eyes to his.

"I checked the building," Tugger added, turning his attention to Cassandra, the one cat who was speaking to him. "I wanted to make sure there were no more rats lurking around here."

"Mungo said he and Teaser didn't see anything last night," Pouncival added hopefully. "So maybe there was only one."

"Rats never travel alone," Tugger replied. No one dared to refute his claim.

There was an odd silence as everyone contemplated his words. Tugger turned his amber eyes back to the red queen, who was suspiciously silent, "Which still doesn't explain why Macavity is sending his henchrats after us. I mean, he has to have a reason—a reason for coming after us. And he knows where we live...which means he must have been keeping tabs on us."

Bombalurina stood up suddenly, pushing back her chair with a little more force than necessary. Cassandra jumped at the hasty action.

"I'm going to get some air," Bomba mumbled, quickly exiting towards the roof.

A beat passed. Cassandra turned to Tugger, her light eyes flashing with anger, "What is wrong with you?"

"What?" Tugger looked up at her, genuinely confused by the turn of events.

"Everyone knows Boms was Macavity's mate," Cassandra hissed, looking furtively at the door that the red queen had closed behind her. "When you say and do stuff like that, it seems like you're accusing her."

"But I'm not," Tugger defended himself.

"But she thinks you are," Cass said quietly. Tugger gave a defeated sigh. He knew the dark queen was right—even if he didn't mean to, he had inadvertently pushed the wrong buttons on Bombie's sensitive panel.

"What do I do?" Tugger asked in an odd display of humility.

"The only thing you can: apologize," Cassandra replied, her face contorted in compassion. She knew that Tugger and Bombie were close; this rift between them was tearing both cats apart mentally and physically.

"I don't think it'll work," Tugger shook his head.

"I think you underestimate the power of a simple apology," Cass said quietly. She offered a helpful smile, "Besides, what have you got to lose?"

~*~

Etcetera looked around the den, her eyes still blurry with sleep. She had dozed off for a mid-afternoon nap, after spending the morning taking care of the kits. Much to her surprise, she saw her mother standing in the doorway, smiling and chatting with Demeter, who was now fully recovered.

"Where's Aleyn?" Etcetera sat up, her kittenish face skewed with confusion.

"She's here," Jellyorum smiled warmly. "She made a miraculous recovery—halfway to the human's house, her fever broke and she was fine."

Etcetera breathed a sigh of relief. She looked down in the basket, where all three kittens were now sleeping peacefully. Gently, with a paw as soft as butterfly wings, she touched her niece's fur.

"I'm so glad you're OK," she whispered.

"Me, too," Jemima appeared beside Cetty. The two young queens exchanged smiles of relief.

"Tori's been looking for you," the tortoise shell added.

Cetty nodded. She gave her mother a quick hug before exiting the den, bounding off to find her friend.

She quickly spotted the white queen, who was sitting morosely beneath the tree that once served as Electra's den.

"What's up?" Cetty did not waste time with pleasantries.

"Tumble knows." Victoria admitted, looking down at the ground.

"What?!" Cetty shrieked, the hysteria evident in her voice. "Why did you tell him?"

"I-I-I didn't," Victoria replied weakly. "He just…guessed. But he promised not to say anything, at least for a few more days."

Cetty nodded, inwardly relieved by Tumblebrutus' odd bout of loyalty. Normally, he would feel honor-bound to report Electra's absence to Munkustrap. Cetty didn't know what made him keep his mouth shut, but she was grateful.

"I'm sorry," Victoria added softly.

Cetty shrugged, "We knew it wouldn't last forever. I just hope that Lecs is far enough from here—so she has a chance."

"A chance at what?" Victoria cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"A chance to live," Cetty replied quietly. She silently prayed that her friend would not join Jenny and Skimble in Heaviside—at least not any time soon.

~*~

Teaser gave a contented sigh as she laid back on the rooftop, staring at the dusky summer sky. Bombalurina wordlessly sat down beside her, leaning back and smiling up at the purple-streaked hues of sunset. The whole city seemed at a standstill as the sun gave her last aria for the day, creating a brilliant array of colors across the sky as the stars slowly crept into the corners of the darkening sky.

"Oi can't tell ya 'ow glad Oi am to 'ave you back," Teaser admitted. Her sister had been back for several days now, but this was the first chance for the two to actually sit and talk.

"I'm glad to be back," Bomba returned with a smile, not bothering to look at her sister. "We did well, didn't we?"

"Yes we did," Teaser agreed. "Oi personally was expectin' a few more males, but Electra and Cassandra seem loike pretty tough cookies. Oi think we moight stand a chance."

"I hope so," Bomba lost her optimistic smile. A beat passed as Teaser thought about her sister's words.

Quietly, the tiger striped queen asked, "How's Dem doing?"

"She's fine," Bombie smiled again. "She had the kittens—two girls and a boy. They're beautiful."

Teaser nodded. She knew how hard it must have been for Bombalurina to leave her friend at a time like this.

Bomba shook herself from her thoughts, "We need to discuss our next plan of action. I still think we're at too great of a disadvantage."

"And 'ow do you propose we even the odds?" Teaser asked, cocking her head to the side curiously.

Her sister gave a wicked grin, "By whatever means necessary, dear Teaser."

Teaser's kittenish face bloomed into a mischievous grin, "Oi loike the way you think, Bombsy."

Just then, Tugger appeared on the rooftop. When he saw the two queens, he stopped, "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Join us," Teaser replied, patting the space next to her. "Speak to us, Fearless Leader."

Tugger chuckled at the comment, moving easily across the roof and sitting down beside Teaser.

"Now," Rumpleteaser assumed an air of authority. "Oi dunno wot's goin' on between you two, but you betta' get it straightened out before we go afta Munku. So wot ever it is, work it out now."

With that, the petite queen stood up and left the rooftop. Tugger and Bomba exchanged uneasy glances. They knew Teaser was right, but neither knew what to say.

This time, Tugger knew better than to react in anger. He decided to take Cassandra's advice.

"Are you going to forgive me anytime soon?" He asked, trying to keep a calm tone.

"Perhaps," Bomba replied simply. A slight smirk briefly appeared on her lovely features. In that moment, Tugger felt a slight wave of relief—at least she seemed to be warming up to him again.

Another silence.

"I'm sorry," Tugger finally spoke. "I shouldn't have said that…you know, about you not being able to have kits."

"You were right; it is the truth," Bomba said simply, looking down at the ground.

"That didn't mean I had the right to throw it in your face like that," Tugger said softly.

The red queen took a deep breath to steady herself, "That wasn't what really bothered me, though. It was the fact that you actually thought I would—that Pounce and I—that we would…after the friends-only rule, I mean—How could you think that I was capable of something like that? It upset me that you thought I'd act so hypocritically."

Tugger gave a nod of understanding. He had broken the trust between them. "I was upset and I acted stupidly. I'm sorry."

The red queen turned back to him, her dark eyes full of seriousness, "Don't worry. I know the rules and I am going to abide by them. My previous relationship with Pouncival will not affect our working relationship—or my ability to help you."

Tugger nodded. He knew she was telling the truth. But this did not ease the pain in his heart as he realized that he may never have a second chance with her.

Rum Tum Tugger was never one to give up, though. He took a deep breath, and taking his courage in both hands, he looked at Bombalurina, "I need to know something, Bombie, and I need you to be completely honest about it."

"Sure," Bomba's dark eyes locked onto his.

"That night—the night Grizabella went to Heaviside—why did you tell me all of that?"

"I don't know," Bomba admitted softly. She turned her gaze back to the skyline, which was now deep blue. "I guess I felt that I trusted you."

"And last night? Why did you tell me about Misto?"

"Because I was tired, Tugger," Bombalurina sighed, her shoulders bending under the weight of her emotional burdens. "I am tired—tired of fighting you, tired of this silly spat, tired of lying to everyone about Misto, tired of hiding myself. Tired of waiting for someone to trust."

"Do you still trust me?" Tugger asked, holding his breath as he waited for the answer.

"Of course," Bombie said simply. "Regardless of what I said when we fought, you're still my friend, Tugger. Even if I'm angry at you."

_My friend_. Those words were like an ice pick to his heart. Still, Tugger forced himself to smile, "Good. I was afraid I had ruined things between us."

Bomba looked out at the rooftops of London with a philosophical expression, "We don't have time to bear grudges. We've got too many others things to do."

Tugger nodded in agreement. After a thoughtful pause, he added, "I really am sorry, though."

"I know you are," Bomba said softly, smiling up at the night sky. "I'm sorry, too."

"For what? You didn't do anything."

"Actually, I did," Bomba's smile deepened into a slightly wicked grin. She didn't meet Tugger's gaze. "I, uh, noticed your…attitude towards Pouncival. I knew what you were thinking. So I sort of…egged it on."

"So all those looks—"

"—Uh-huh—"

"—and that little smile—"

"—Uh-huh—"

"You dirty rotten Pollicle," Tugger looked at her in disbelief. Despite his comment, he wore a grin. "This whole time—that was just to make me mad?"

"Well, I didn't think you'd get that upset about it," Bombie gave a nonchalant shrug. "Apparently I was wrong."

"Apparently."

"I just wanted some of the old fun back." The red queen gave a sigh. "But my plan backfired."

There was a moment of silence as Tugger thought about her words.

"And then I was so angry at myself for even pulling such a stunt," Bomba gave a wry laugh. "So I took it out on you."

"I deserved it," Tugger replied wholeheartedly.

"There was a time when you could take a joke like that," Bombalurina said quietly. "Before all of this."

Tugger gave a wry chuckle of agreement. There was a moment of contented silence as the two cats thought back to happier times.

"I miss those days," the red queen admitted softly.

"Me, too," Tugger agreed. In those days, he knew he had a chance with Bomba. They had all the time in the world to flirt and spar, but now things were moving so quickly—things were happening at such a frightening pace that those moments didn't seem guaranteed any more. Now he wasn't so sure of where he stood or whether they truly had that much time left. Deciding to seize the moment, Tugger added, "That was before you decided on the friends-only rule."

Now it was Bombalurina's turn to give a wry chuckle. She gave a slight shake of her head, "So that's what all this is about. You're still upset over the rule."

"I am," Tugger, admitted. He suddenly felt very vulnerable and decided to quickly retrace his steps. "I feel like I can't exchange delightfully explicit banter with you anymore."

"Oh," Bomba sat up. She turned to him, "I wondered why you'd become so distant. I thought you'd found someone else to occupy your time. I must apologize for robbing you of your favorite pastime. I am so sorry."

"You should be," Tugger grinned, leaning forward until his face was just a breath away from Bomba's. The red queen's eyes lit up mischievously—she recognized the flirtatious tone in the maine coon's voice.

"Now, I said we should keep this on a friendly level," Bomba's voice dipped into a deep purr. "I would hate for you to feel like you couldn't be friendly towards me."

"Is this too friendly?" Tugger leaned forward, gently tracing the outline of Bombie's pale face.

"I'll let it slide," she responded with a light smile. Tugger leaned in closer, but the red queen quickly stopped him, "But anything beyond that point would be too friendly."

Tugger nodded, "Alright, so now I know the boundaries—now I can work at seeing just how far I can push them."

Bombalurina laughed, "Ah, Tugsy-boy, you never learn, do you?"

"Or maybe I learn a lot faster than you think," he gave her a mischievous wink as he sat back. The two cats sat side by side in contented silence, staring up at the night sky. Tugger gave a sigh of happiness. He and Bombalurina were friends again. He could work on becoming more-than-friends later.

Bombalurina bit her lip as she surveyed the stars. She shouldn't have encouraged Tugger. She shouldn't have gotten so close to that forbidden line. But when those amber eyes looked so pleadingly at her, how could she say no? Besides, it was her job as second-in-command to ensure that their Fearless Leader was performing at his best. And wasn't Tugger at the top of his game when he was on the chase?

She cared about him. That was the problem. She couldn't lie to herself—her heart had skipped a beat as soon as he walked onto the roof. And when he had leaned into her…she had to fight to keep control.

_I can do this_, she told herself. She could keep Tugger at arm's length—without breaking his heart. It was a tightrope walk, but she could do it. She reminded herself that this was all in his best interests.

"Hey, guys?" Misto's head appeared in the rooftop doorway. "Teaser's starting up a game of cards. You in?"

"Definitely," Bombalurina rose to her feet with a grin, dusting off her coat. Tugger got up and followed her back into the loft.

The rest of the rebels were seated around the table, chattering and laughing as Teaser deftly dealt out the cards. They all turned to smile expectantly at Tugger. An anxious beat passed as everyone waited to see if peace had been declared between Tugger and his second-in-command. One look at their smiling faces signaled that all was well again.

"Tugger, where ya been?" Mungojerrie beamed up at him as Bomba and Misto took their seats around the makeshift table.

"You shoulda' seen Lecs today," Teaser piped up, slapping Electra on the back. "She's go' skills, Oi tell ya."

The young queen just gave an embarrassed grin. There was a moment of silence as everyone turned back to Tugger. In that moment, the maine coon realized that every one of these cats were here for him—because they believed in him and his cause.

"Ya gonna sit or wot?" Teaser asked, motioning to the empty seat at the head of the table. There was a moment of happiness as the Rum Tum Tugger joined his group. He felt a sense of camaraderie that he had never felt before—he was part of an amazing group of cats. He was more than just a part—he was the leader! Munkustrap would have a heart attack if he could see his little brother now. Irresponsible, self-centered Rum Tum Tugger—leader of the rebels!

~*~

Tugger lay awake, staring at the bunk above him. He heard Bombie shift overhead, changing sleeping positions.

"Bom?"

"What?" Her tone was slightly irritated.

"You awake?"

"I am now."

Tugger was silent. Bomba gave an exasperated sigh, "What is it, Tugger?"

"Why are you here?"

"Because Teaser wouldn't let me sleep in the same room as Mungojerrie," Bomba replied wryly.

Tugger rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean. Why did you leave the tribe? Why did you come after me?"

"Isn't it a little late in the game to be asking that question?" Bombalurina sighed.

"Boms, I need to know."

There was a silence. Tugger heard Bomba shift uneasily above him. Finally, she spoke, her voice uncharacteristically small and quiet, "Because I didn't want you to be alone."

There was a small pause. Bomba added, "And I knew you were right about Munkustrap. I trust you more than I do him anyways. It only seemed logical to come after you."

"Really?"

"Yep," Bombie flopped back over to her previous position. Her voice took on a disinterested air, "Now, can you shut up and lemme get some sleep?"

Tugger nodded and smiled to himself. Ever since the card game, he had been wondering why all these cats left their homes to join him—him, the Rum Tum Tugger! He wasn't a powerful leader or a great speaker. He wasn't anything special at all. In fact, the majority of his life had been spent on selfish, mindless pursuits.

That was the old Tugger. The new Tugger would take care of his friends, would make sure that they would live to see another day. He would protect them, encourage them, and, if need be, give his life for them. It was a scary feeling. A wonderfully scary feeling.

**_*Author's Note: The incidents mentioned here--Bomba's attempt to have Macavity killed and Tugger and Bomba's conversation the night Griz went to Heaviside--can be found (and expounded in more detail) in the final chapters of The Red Queen.*_**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**_*Author's Note: My apologies, chickadees! After a particularly grueling spring semester, I went to the country for some rejuvenation--and apparently the internet out there sucks...but I am traveling again, so this little story should wrap itself up in a week or two :)._**

"Ta-Dah!" Teaser produced the red ribbon with flourish. She looked eagerly at the cats seated before her, waiting for their reaction.

"It's a ribbon," Bomba commented dryly. It was evident that no one else understood the significance of the gift either.

Teaser gave a sigh, "It's fo' when we go ta battle. Look."

She deftly took a piece of the ribbon and tied it around Electra's neck, "See? If we wear this, then we'll be able ta tell who's who when the foightin' gets really hairy."

"Oh," everyone said in unison. Now they understood.

"Good thinking, Tease," Tugger nodded. He took a sip of coffee and made a disgusted face, "Who made the java?"

"Me," Pouncival admitted sheepishly. "I've never done it before. I dunno how to make coffee."

"That's obvious," Tugger commented wryly. He unceremoniously dumped the rest of the cup out the window.

"Did you see anything during the night watch?" Bomba turned to Mistoffelees and Cassandra, who had been on patrol the night before.

"Nothing," Cass replied with a shake of her head.

Bombalurina nodded, her mind wandering back into dark thoughts. Ever since the black rat's appearance, the red queen could not keep the image of Macavity from her mind. She now lived in a constant state of fear—it was a good thing that she had reconciled with Tugger; she honestly didn't think she could deal with the stress of fighting along with the constant worrying over Macavity.

Teaser seemed to read her sister's mind, "That dohn' mean a thing. Macavity's one sly cat—he's got somefin' big up 'is sleeve. Oi can feel it."

Everyone nodded in solemn agreement. Next to Bombalurina, Rumpleteaser and Mungojerrie were the experts on the Napoleon of Crime—after all, they had spent several years as his seconds-in-command.

"It still doesn't make sense," Bombalurina shook her head, her voice dipping into a soft whisper as her face skewed in confusion. "This isn't like Mac at all—if he wanted to, he could've already had us killed. Something's not right."

"What do you propose we do?" Tugger asked solemnly, his amber eyes focusing on the red queen.

Bomba shrugged, "There's not much that we can do…unless we go talk to Macavity—a move that I would not personally recommend."

"Me either," Teaser piped up.

"If we go lookin' for Macavity, we're lookin' for trouble," Mungo agreed. "It's best ta jus' keep a safe distance."

"But he's the one coming after us," Cassandra pointed out, stepping forward in an assertive manner. "We can't just let these things happen—we've got to do something."

"And what do you propose?" Bomba asked, cocking her head to the side in mock curiosity. There was an edge of sarcasm in her voice. "Storm the Lair? Hunt down the Hidden Paw, the most dangerous cat in London? We haven't the resources nor the numbers to pull off such a stunt. Our best bet is to simply do what we're doing now."

"I agree," Tugger gave a curt nod. "Keep posting nightly watches, and be more aware of our surroundings in the day time. If we're being watched, then the rats are doing it in shifts—at some point, we should be able to see one of them leaving or coming in. Then we'll pounce."

"And do what, exactly?" Electra seemed confused.

"If we take one of the rats, then we can interrogate him. Find out why Macavity is watching us," Tugger said philosophically.

Teaser raised her paw, "Oi volunteer for the role of interra-gator. Oi'm good at makin' animals talk."

"She is," Mungojerrie nodded in agreement. "When we worked for Macavity, she wos the head of interra-gation. Quoite good at it, if Oi do say so meself."

"Fine—Teaser, when we catch a rat, you can interrogate him," Tugger smiled up at the petite queen, who pumped her fist in victory.

"This is gonna be great," she beamed. She smiled up at Mungo, "Jus' loike old times, Love."

~*~

Demeter looked down at her three kits, who were all sleeping peacefully beside her. She gave a contented sigh—things were definitely looking up. She and Aleyn had recovered and were doing well. Since Aleyn's near-death experience, Munkustrap had become more attentive as a father and as a mate. While Demeter was not thrilled about her daughter's illness, she was grateful for the change that it had wrought in Munku.

"Mummy?" Jemima stepped into the den tentatively.

"Yes, dear."

"I just wanted to see if you were awake," Jemima admitted softly. Demeter smiled and patted the empty space beside her. Wordlessly, Jemima curled up in the basket, next to her mother and younger siblings.

There was a contented silence as Jemima rested her head on her mother's, watching the kits sleep.

"Electra's missing," Jemima said quietly.

"What?" Demeter raised her head in alarm.

Jemima nodded, "Etcetera and Tumblebrutus told Daddy this morning. She must've slipped out with Jellyorum the night Aleyn was sick."

"Why did she leave?" Demeter asked, the shock evident in her voice.

"We don't know," Jemima shrugged.

"I'm sorry, baby," Demeter said quietly, her light green eyes filling with pain. "I know you two were close."

"We were," Jemima admitted with a small nod. She and Electra had been the youngest two queens in their group of friends—a common trait that had quickly formed into a friendship. She couldn't understand why Electra would abandon something like that—a bond that Jemima had believed was strong enough to survive anything.

"I just don't understand," Jemima looked down at the ground sorrowfully. "First Bombie; then Mungo and Teaser, and then Misto and Cassandra and Pounce. Now Electra. It doesn't make sense."

"No," Demeter said quietly. "No it doesn't."

In truth, it made perfect sense to the black and gold queen. She knew exactly why Bombalurina left—the others were easy guesses as well. Suddenly, an odd thought struck her.

"Jemima?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you say Electra went missing when Gramma left?"

"Yes."

"And not…sooner?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Mamma, what are you hinting at?" Jemima looked at her mother curiously.

"When was the last time you saw Lecs?"

"I don't know…a couple of days ago, I guess."

"Before or after Misto left?"

"I don't remember. Mamma, why are—"

"Never mind," Demeter answered quickly, smoothing her fur in an agitated fashion. Her own mind was turning about like boiling water as she tried to remember. She was certain that she had seen Electra before Bombie left…but had she seen the dark queen afterwards? She didn't know Electra very well; she didn't really socialize with the younger cats. And she had been ill…still, Demeter could not remember seeing the young queen since her friend's disappearing act over a week ago.

Demeter quickly added the cats in her head—the dissenters were accumulating quite an army.

~*~

Electra peered into the darkness. Tonight she and Pouncival were keeping watch over the loft, and both were terrified of the idea that everyone's safety lay in their paws.

A rustle. Electra whirled around, her dark eyes filled with fear. Her heart rate skyrocketed when she heard the noise again. Quietly, she made her way down the hall, towards the sound.

She looked around, hoping that Pouncival would appear and declare that it was all a big joke. Unfortunately, the young tom did not show up.

Swallowing nervously, Electra stepped tentatively around the corner. She stifled a scream when she saw three black rats at the end of the hall. Quickly, she ducked back around the corner. The rats had not spotted her—they continued muttering amongst themselves, occasionally giving a guttural chuckle. Electra's dark ears swiveled as she strained to hear their conversation.

There was an odd sound…much like water being poured onto the floor. Slowly, the dark queen slid down the wall, turning just so a single eye peered around the corner. She could see the rats were holding large containers. The pungent smell of gasoline filled Electra's nostrils.

_They're going to kill us_. The thought stopped Electra's heart completely. She took a deep breath to calm her hysterical breathing. _Quick, think of something!_

Electra looked around wildly, her mind swirling around at a dizzying pace. It was too late to stop the rats—besides, if they spotted her now, a strike of a match would end the whole thing. The dark queen moved swiftly back down the hall on silent paws.

She spotted Pouncival; she motioned wildly to him and gestured for him to remain silent. He moved towards her, his face skewed in confusion and concern.

"Three rats are dousing the place in gasoline," she whispered, her breathing picking up once more as her panic began to rise. "We have to get everyone out of here."

Pounce nodded and quickly raced back to the loft; Electra followed close behind. The two cats went around the room, shaking Misto and Cassandra and quietly informing them of the oncoming danger.

Cassandra was up in a flash; she dashed into the other room, where Tugger and Bomba were sleeping peacefully.

"Get up!" Cass commanded, shaking the red queen roughly. "Macavity's henchrats are going to set fire to the building—we have to leave now!"

Bomba and Tugger sat up in complete shock, crying in unison, "What?!"

"We gotta get out of here!" Misto burst into the room. Next door, Bomba could hear similar cries of dismay as Pounce and Electra roused Mungo and Teaser from sleep.

Suddenly, Tugger gave a suspicious sniff. "I smell smoke."

The cats rushed out of the loft, towards the stairs. They all stopped to look down at the stairwell in horror—the flames were already snaking up the banister, licking the walls and sending ominous pillars of smoke up to the fourth floor.

"We're too late," Electra announced dismally.

"To the roof," Bomba turned around quickly, her long legs easily covering the distance to the door. Tugger pushed everyone in the right direction, taking his place at the end of the line, so that he could keep a watchful eye on the group.

Bomba ran to the door that led to the roof. To her surprise, it did not open.

"What?!" She cried, ramming herself into the frame. Still, it did not budge.

"The bastards knew we'd troiy the roof," Teaser's brow furrowed in anger. "They blocked us in!"

"What do we do now?" Pounce asked, looking around wildly. Bomba was still beating the door hysterically, as if she could break it by force.

"Try the windows," Tugger replied, rushing to Mungo and Teaser's room. The window opened easily, the cold wind hitting Tugger's face at full-force.

"That's a long way to fall," Teaser appeared beside him, her large eyes looking fearfully down at the dark alley.

"Cats always land on their feet," Tugger announced philosophically. Had it been a less dire circumstance, Teaser probably would have laughed at the quip. But now as not the time for fun and games.

"It's reached the door!" Cassandra's voice pitched in panic. Already the smoke was becoming unbearable.

Tugger turned back to Teaser, his amber eyes filled with complete seriousness, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," Teaser replied.

"Good," Tugger deftly picked up the petite queen and tossed her out of the window. There was a shriek of panic, followed by a soft thud as Rumpleteaser landed in the dumpster.

"Tease!" Mungo cried, leaning out the window.

"Oi'm foine!" The tiger-striped queen replied, quickly pulling herself out of the garbage. She looked up at him, "Jus' jump!"

Mungojerrie nodded and followed her example. As soon as he was safely out of the way, he yelled back to Tugger, "Send another one!"

"Time to go, ladies," Tugger motioned to Cass and Electra.

Without a single word, Electra swung her legs over the window sill, disappearing into the smoke-filled air. Cassandra pushed Misto and Pounce in front of her; the two toms dutifully leapt from the window.

"Let's go, Cass!" Tugger had to yell to be heard over the crackling flames. The wood rafters were now creaking and groaning under the pressure of the fire; things were falling and making terrifying noises. The fire had not reached the fourth floor yet, but it was definitely taking its toll on the remaining three floors.

Cassandra nodded, pulling herself into the windowsill. Suddenly, she sat back, looking around wildly.

"Where's Bombs?" She cried out.

Tugger looked around. The red queen was nowhere in sight.

"I'll find her," he promised. "Go."

Cass nodded and pushed off, giving a short yelp as she plummeted four stories into the open garbage bin.

Tugger moved back through the room, choking on the thick grey smoke that invaded his lungs. He called the red queen's name, but he knew that she would never hear him over the fire.

Suddenly, he spotted her—she was slumped over, grasping her chest as she struggled to breathe in the smoke-filled air.

"Boms!" Tugger rushed to her, helping the red queen to her feet. "What are you doing?"

"I—can't—breath—," she gasped, still clutching her chest.

Tugger nodded, quickly pulling her back into the next room. He moved her to the window, allowing the cool, fresh air to hit her face. She fell back, almost passing out from lack of oxygen; Tugger easily caught her. He held her quietly, waiting as she tried to regain control of her lungs, her breathing coming in deep gulps.

Bomba slowly pulled herself back together. She gave a small smile, "Thanks."

"Thank me later," Tugger replied quickly, turning his fearful eyes to see the flames that now danced up the staircase. "We've got to get out of here."

Bombalurina nodded, pulling herself out onto the windowsill. With one last look at Tugger, she disappeared into the dark night.

Tugger quickly swung his legs over the sill, looking down to see Teaser and Pouncival pull Bomba from the bin. He took a deep breath and pushed off.

~*~

"That's strange," Tantomile's brow furrowed in confusion as she stared out at the night sky.

"What?" Corico appeared beside her. His gaze was focused on his sister's face, rather than the object of her scrutiny.

"The sky," she answered slowly. "It's...orange."

Now Cori turned to look at the spot on the horizon, which was glowing with an odd, almost ghoulish color.

"Fire," he said quietly.

"Yes," Tantomile nodded. "Fire."

~*~

Tugger dusted off his coat, looking up in dismay at the burning building. Then he turned to see seven expectant faces, all awaiting his decision.

"Wot do we do now, Boss?" Mungo asked.

"I think I know of a place to stay, at least for tonight," Tugger replied. With a heavy sigh, he turned and trudged down the alleyway. The night was filled with the sound of sirens as the human fire brigade rushed to save the burning building. Tugger stopped at the street corner, taking a moment to watch the frenzied proceedings.

Bomba came up softly behind him, her shoulder rubbing against his in a comradely fashion. Tugger didn't say anything. He simply turned to her and gave a soft smile of gratitude. Bomba gave a small nod of understanding. She stood beside him, quietly slipping her paw in his.

"On to the next big adventure, fearless leader," she whispered softly, a gentle smile of reassurance on her soot-streaked face.

Tugger gave a wry smile at the comment. He turned north, "On to the next big adventure."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Wot is this place?" Teaser looked around, her eyes wide with wonder.

Tugger gave a wry chuckle, "Back in the day, this was where I'd take chicks to—"

"Way more information than we needed," Bomba interrupted. A small smile crept onto her face as she surveyed the room, which was painted a deep red and had "Peace, Love, and Rock n' Roll" signs plastered on the walls.

"I was going to say 'to talk'," Tugger finished smoothly, although the grin on his face testified that he was lying. Bomba just rolled her eyes, smiling at his antics.

"It's pretty big," Cassandra peered into an adjoining room. She flashed a smile over her shoulder, "More than enough room for everyone."

"So…no more sleeping on the floor?" Pounce asked hopefully. Everyone laughed at the comment.

Mungo made sure the door was closed and locked. He looked up at Tugger, "Should we post a wotch tonight?"

Tugger shook his head, "I don't think so. As far as Macavity knows, we all died in the fire. I doubt the rats hung around to make sure we didn't get out. We should be safe—at least for tonight."

Everyone nodded in agreement, although no one truly felt safe. After all, Macavity had discovered their last hide out. How hard would it be for him to do it again?

"One more thing," Tugger held up a cautionary paw. "We are situated above a factory. So in the early morning, a bell will ring—you'll get used to it after awhile. And the machines can get kinda loud."

"Great," Cassandra said dryly.

"Hey, it's better than a burnt out building," Pounce reminded her. Cassandra shook her head with a wry chuckle. The kit had a point.

~*~

Tanto and Coricopat stood atop the junk pile as the deafening sound of sirens shattered the stillness of the night. Jellyorum was seated beside them; she had rushed out when she heard the siren wails.

"How far away do you think that is?" Jellyorum asked, her eyes never leaving the huge orange spot on the horizon.

"A good half-mile at least," Coricopat answered. "Two miles at the most. Outside of Jellicle Territory, that's for sure."

"I wonder what happened," Jellyorum murmured.

Tantomile kept quiet. She had awakened from dreams of fire—a bad omen indeed. Still, she wasn't sure what that meant, so she decided to keep her mouth shut.

"What's going on?" Munkustrap appeared beside them. No one bothered to look at him; they were still focused on the fire.

"Not sure," Corico responded. "Something's on fire—something big, by the looks of it."

Munkustrap nodded. A beat passed. He spoke again, "Inside Jellicle Territory or out?"

"Out, I think," Cori replied.

"We'll go in the morning and find out," Munkustrap decided. The others nodded in agreement.

For some reason, Tantomile could not quell the feeling of dread in her stomach.

~*~

Bombie and Tugger stood side by side, watching as the others slept, their soot-streaked faces lined with fatigue and worry. No one had wanted to sleep alone, so everyone was curled up in the main area.

"Do you have any alcohol in this joint?" Bomba asked quietly. Tugger nodded and turned towards the back room, where he kept his supplies.

"How about wine?" He asked. Bomba wrinkled her nose.

"I'd prefer something harder," she admitted. Tugger chuckled in agreement and quickly found something more suitable.

"Bottoms up," he declared, pouring them each a shot.

The red queen grimaced at the taste, but she dutifully drank the shot. With a heavy sigh, she spoke, "I don't think I'll be able to sleep ever again."

Tugger nodded. He glanced up at her terror-stricken appearance; his mind thought back to the look on her face as she lay in the corner, gasping for air. His eyes traveled to her slender throat as he remembered her paw clutched around it. Suddenly, he noticed something.

"Your collar's missing," he stated. Bomba unconsciously touched her neck. Confusion clouded her face as she tried to remember how she'd lost it.

"I must have taken it off when it got harder to breath," she said distractedly, gently rubbing the spot where her collar had been. It was her last connection to Demeter.

"I'm glad you're OK," Tugger said quietly, his amber eyes meeting her dark ones. She gave a soft smile.

"Don't get all emotional on me, Tugsy-boy," she joked, giving him a playful punch in the jaw. "You're the leader now; you've gotta be tough."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you," Tugger replied.

"Nothing's going to happen to me," Bomba reassured him softly. "Everything's fine—we all survived; no one is even injured. Stop worrying."

Tugger nodded, but the expression on his face told Bomba that he was still concerned.

"C'mon," Bomba poured another round. "One more shot, and then it's off to bed."

The red queen held up her glass in toast, "To us."

Tugger grinned and clinked his glass against hers, "To us."

~*~

Munkustrap stood before the Tribe, the early morning wind ruffling his fur as he looked down upon them, "Alonzo and I will go to inspect the site of last night's fire. We will make sure that it was not on Jellicle Territory."

Cetty thought that was an odd excuse—what did it matter, since no one was allowed to leave the yard anymore?

"Until I return, Asparagus shall be in charge."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Jellyorum beamed with pride that her son had been chosen, even if it was only for a few hours.

Munkustrap dismissed the assembly; everyone went back to the business of preparing for the Jellicle Ball. It was now only a few days away.

Demeter ran after her mate, catching his arm and causing him to turn around.

"I'd like to go with you," she announced.

An odd look passed through Munku's eyes, but he did not comment. He simply nodded, "OK."

Demeter gave a grateful smile. It had been months since she had left the confines of the junkyard; this excursion came as a welcome relief.

The three cats made their way through the winding streets of London, occasionally stopping to make sure that they were headed in the right direction. The closer they got to the site, the thicker the air was—grey smoke rolled eerily through the narrow streets, creating odd shadows in the early morning light.

"We've got to be close," Alonzo wrinkled his nose and gave a cough. "The smell is getting stronger."

Munku nodded in agreement. Suddenly, he spotted it.

"There!" He pointed down the street. "It's that building."

"We're over a mile past Jellicle Territory," Demeter spoke to no one in particular.

"I guess we had nothing to worry about," Alonzo agreed.

"Let's go inspect it—just in case," Munku replied, moving closer to the building. Dem and Alonzo exchanged questioning glances, but they followed anyways. The three cats moved through the rubble, up the nearly dilapidated flight of stairs, all the way to the fourth floor.

"What is this place?" Demeter looked around with wide eyes.

"I don't know," Munkustrap replied, although something in his actions made Alonzo believe otherwise.

"Something's not right here," Demeter announced. Her companions turned to look at her in confusion.

"I smell gasoline," she stated. No response. She sighed, "Accelerant—it means this fire was started on purpose."

"Humans do crazy things," Alonzo admitted with a shrug.

"It wasn't humans," Demeter replied.

"How do you know?" Alonzo asked.

"I smell rats," she answered vaguely. Her small nose twitched oddly, "Just like the ones Macavity used to employ."

"We shouldn't be up here," Munkustrap announced suddenly. "This place could collapse at any minute."

Alonzo nodded in agreement. As he turned to leave, something caught his eye. He quickly made his way through the fallen beams to reach it. From a pile of ashes, he pulled out a badly burned collar.

Something in his memory clicked—he had seen it somewhere before.

"Alonzo, are you coming?" The sound of Demeter's voice caused him to turn around. He smiled at her—and that's when he noticed it. The collar around her neck—it was just like the one he was holding. Just like the one Bombalurina used to wear.

"Just a minute," he replied. The look on his face made Munkustrap instantly suspicious.

"You go ahead, honey," Munkustrap motioned to Demeter. "We'll be down shortly."

Demeter nodded and did as she was told. Munku made his way to his brother.

"What's wrong?"

Alonzo held up the collar, "It's Bombie's."

"Are you sure?" Munkustrap asked in a shocked tone.

"Positive."

"So Dem was right," Munkustrap murmured softly, looking around the room with renewed interest. "This wasn't a human fire."

"What happened here?" Alonzo's voice was thick with emotion as he tried to imagine what horrible event had occurred within those blackened walls. He noticed a door near the pile of rubble. He went to it, only to discover it was barricaded. He could barely stifle the tears that threatened his eyes as he thought about the implications, "She was blocked in…and the place was set on fire."

"She wasn't alone," Munkustrap said softly, taking time to inspect what was left of the adjoining rooms. "Other cats were here."

"Oh, bast," Alonzo shook his head. "Who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know," Munku replied. He looked up at Alonzo pleadingly, "Please, don't tell Demeter—she won't be able to handle this."

"She has the right to know," Alonzo countered.

"Do you remember how bad it was last time we thought Bombalurina was dead?" Munkustrap asked. "Demeter wouldn't leave the house for days at a time. She didn't sleep, didn't eat, didn't speak—all she did was stare out the window! Do you honestly want to put her through that again—especially now that she has three young kits to care for?"

Alonzo did not reply. He knew his brother was right—Demeter could not handle losing her friend again. Still, there were other questions in his mind that remained unanswered.

"Why would Bomba be here?" He looked around. "And with other cats? What other cats?"

"We've had several cats go missing over the last year," Munkustrap shrugged. "Perhaps they all came here."

Alonzo was not satisfied with the answer. More questions came, but he kept them to himself. Of all the places in London, why was Bomba here? And why was this the only place set on fire? Who would do such a thing? And why?

"C'mon," Munkustrap interrupted his brother's thoughts with a reassuring smile. "Demeter's waiting for us."

He held out a silver paw expectantly; Alonzo dutifully handed over the collar, which Munku quickly hid in his own.

"Remember," the silver tabby looked at his brother solemnly. "Not a word."

~*~

"We should go back," Mungojerrie announced. He looked around at the other rebels, who were still rubbing sleep from their eyes.

"Are you off your bloomin' rocker?" Teaser cast a skeptical glance in his direction. "There's nuffin to go back to!"

"The humans were there—maybe they saved it from bein' destroiyed completely," Mungo reasoned with a shrug. "We need ta see wot we can salvage."

"I would love to have my mirror back," Bomba said softly. Tugger was the only one who heard her comment.

"Alright," the maine coon sighed. "We'll go back and see what we can recover."

~*~

The tribe was anxiously awaiting the return of the three Jellicles—as soon as they returned, Alonzo, Munku, and Dem were flooded with questions.

"Was it in Jellicle Territory or out?" Asparagus asked.

"Out," Alonzo replied.

"That's good to know," Teathrice gave a sigh of relief. "We're safe."

"Not entirely true," Demeter said quietly. Everyone stopped and stared at the petite queen.

"The fire was Macavity's work," she spoke in a somber tone. The name rippled through the crowd.

"But if it wasn't on Jellicle Territory, then we have nothing to worry about, right?" Teathrice asked, looking around in uncertainty.

"Maybe, maybe not," Roary Huffersnuff replied. His yellow eyes remained focused on Demeter's face. "We'll have to wait and see."

"It was over a mile outside of Jellicle Terf," Munkustrap stated calmly, giving Demeter a disapproving look. "As far as we know, it had nothing to do with the Jellicles—or Macavity for that matter."

"Are you saying that I wouldn't recognize the scent of those awful rats—after spending all that time in the lair?" Dem looked at him in disbelief.

"I'm saying that we don't know for sure," Munkustrap said quietly. Demeter gave a slight nod of acquiescence. Munku had a point—although she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was Macavity's henchrats, she couldn't really prove it.

"I don't think we should get all worked up over this until we are sure that it is a threat against the Jellicle Tribe," Munkustrap informed the others. Everyone nodded in agreement. Even those who believed Demeter shrugged and agreed that Macavity had plenty of other enemies, numerous foes that he could attack besides the Jellicles. There was no need to fear.

Munkustrap simply smiled as he watched the others return to their activities. He had eliminated all threats to his throne. Tugger and his band of rag-tag rejects had finally received their just reward—a painful, fiery death. The perfect punishment for traitors.

~*~

Electra took a deep breath as she timidly stepped onto the rickety staircase. It was badly charred—in some places, whole steps were missing, completely burned out.

"Are you sure it's safe?" She turned to look back at Teaser and Mungo, who were smiling reassuringly.

"Course it is," Mungo motioned for her to continue.

"An' if it ain't, then we'll foind out soon enough," Teaser added.

Electra did not find comfort in Teaser's words, but she bravely pushed forward. Misto and Pouncival followed her.

"I still don't understand," Bomba shook her head softly, her dark eyes surveying the nearly destroyed building. "Why would Mac do this to us?"

"Why not?" Tugger asked. He knew that Bombalurina was a bit biased when it came to Macavity, but he couldn't understand why this was so hard to believe. After all, Macavity was the worst cat in London—why shouldn't arson be on his list of activities?

"Something isn't right," she said softly. Her white-tipped paws gently traced the outline of the brick wall, creating lines and shapes in the soot. "This isn't like him at all."

"It's been a long time since you've been with Macavity," Tugger reminded her. "Perhaps things have changed."

"Perhaps," she said quietly. With a heavy sigh, she turned back to the maine coon. "Shall we go up?"

Tugger gave a grand bow towards the staircase, "After you, Milady."

That brought a smile back to the red queen's face. She made her way up the stairs, gingerly stepping from board to board.

"My, my," Tugger gave a low whistle of appreciation as he watched Bomba's hips sway in front of him. "Going last has its rewards."

"Keep dreaming, Tiger," Bomba shot over her shoulder.

Tugger chuckled but kept quiet.

"I can still feel you staring," Bomba commented after a few minutes.

"Can't help it."

"Can't or don't want to?"

"Is there a difference?" Tugger joked.

"Not in your case," Bomba replied smoothly.

"Hey, guys!" Pouncival called down joyously. "Most of our stuff is still here! The rafters are burned and some of 'em caved in, but the stuff in the back rooms is still OK. The humans must've stopped the fire before it took over the fourth floor."

Bomba and Tugger picked up the pace, finally reaching the fourth story. The red queen instantly went to the bedroom. Gingerly, she felt behind the mirror. It was still there—the rose Tugger had given her during their fight. She quickly took a nearby rag and wrapped the flower in it. She didn't want anyone to see her prize—and most certainly not Tugger.

"I see your mirror is still in-tact," Tugger commented as he walked into the room.

"What? Oh, yes," she turned back to the glass quickly. She lightly swept the silver surface, which was blackened with smoke. "It needs a good cleaning, but other than that, it's just fine."

"I'm glad," Tugger nodded. "I know how much you liked it."

Bombalurina smiled. If only he knew the real reason for her wanting the mirror back—not because she liked it, but because of the secret it hid behind its shiny frame.

"Is this going back with us?" Pouncival entered the room, motioning to the mirror.

"Yes," Bomba nodded.

"What's that?" Pounce pointed to the rag in Bomba's hand.

"A keepsake," she replied smoothly.

"You have a rag as a keepsake?" Pouncival looked at her as if she'd gone mad.

"To each his own," Bomba sniffed haughtily. Unlike Pounce, Tugger could tell that there was something wrapped inside the rag, but he wisely kept silent. Bomba could be quite mysterious at times; it was always best to leave things alone. If she wanted them to know, she would tell them.

"C'mon, ya buncha lazy bums!" Teaser called out cheerfully. "We go' work to do!"

The three cats exchanged knowing grins. Things were definitely getting back to normal.

~*~

Alonzo sat atop the discarded chest of drawers, his mind winding in smaller and smaller circles. He knew his brother was right—Demeter couldn't deal with losing Bombie again. At the same time, Alonzo felt that the black and gold queen needed to know.

But what if he was wrong—what if the collar didn't belong to Bombie at all? No, Alonzo knew beyond all doubt that it was hers. But who's to say she didn't lose it months ago? Perhaps no one was in the building when it caught fire. Of course, that would not explain why the door was barricaded shut.

Something else bothered Alonzo—if Demeter was right and Macavity was behind the fire, why would he go after the runaway Jellicles?

Alonzo shook his head. Nothing made sense.

"Are you OK?" A deep voice caused Alonzo to start from his thoughts. He turned to see Tantomile sitting beside him, her golden eyes watching him with an odd sense of curiosity.

"I'm fine," he replied, although he didn't sound too convincing.

"What did you find?" Tanto asked quietly.

Alonzo was startled by the direct question—he had forgotten that Tantomile could read minds.

"No, I didn't just read your mind," Tantomile rolled her eyes. "I happen to be an excellent reader of body language—and by the way you acted this morning, you're hiding something. Which makes me ask again: What did you find?"

"A collar."

"And?" Tantomile didn't seem impressed by this.

"It looked just like Bombalurina's," Alonzo said quietly.

The black and white queen nodded. Now she understood the gravity of the situation.

"So, are they all dead?" She asked after a slight pause.

"I don't know," Alonzo admitted sadly. He gave a heavy sigh. "I don't know what happened there, but I don't think it ended happily. I mean, the doors were barricaded shut, so that no one could escape. What kind of monster could do such a thing?"

"Everyone is capable of evil," Tanto said philosophically. "All it takes is the right circumstances."

"I don't think I could ever do something like that," Alonzo shook his head.

There was a thoughtful pause. Finally, Tanto spoke again.

"Would you try something with me?" She cocked her head to the side curiously.

"What?" Alonzo was instantly wary. Tantomile wasn't exactly renowned for being a normal, safe cat.

"I want you to take me back to the site of the fire," she spoke in a low tone. "In your mind. Just imagine it for me—what the room looked like, what it smelled like, sounded like. I am going to attempt to go back and inspect it myself."

"Inside my head?" Alonzo was incredulous.

Tanto nodded.

"What if you get lost in there or something?" Alonzo looked around wildly.

"I doubt anyone would mourn my absence," Tanto quipped dryly. "Besides, it's highly improbable that such a thing is even possible."

Alonzo took a deep breath. Surely she knew what she was doing. "OK."

Tantomile closed her eyes. Alonzo did the same.

"Now," Tanto's deep voice took on a soothing cadence. "Think back to the moment you found the collar. What did the room look like? Where were Demeter and Munkustrap standing? What did you say? What did it smell like?"

She continued asking questions. Slowly, she could see the room building itself within her own mind as she read Alonzo's thoughts. She took a moment to step into the room, looking around curiously at the few blank spots where Alonzo's memory had failed. She investigated the piles of rubble, moving about the room slowly, trying to gather as much information as she could.

Finally, she spoke, breaking the connection. The room disappeared like early morning fog.

"I have all that I need," she said authoritatively.

"What did you see?" Alonzo asked anxiously.

"Everything that you did," she replied. She frowned, "I do have one question—where were the bodies?"

"What?"

"The bodies," Tantomile repeated. "I'm not an expert on fires, but shouldn't there have been something left—even if it was just a few charred remains?"

"I guess the fire destroyed them all," Alonzo shrugged.

"Then it would've taken the collar, too—and the whole building, for that matter," Tanto reminded him. "Besides the collar, there are no other signs that indicate anyone had been in the fire."

"So, they could still be alive?" Alonzo asked hopefully.

"I would bet good money on it," Tanto nodded.

"So…Bombie's not dead," Alonzo grinned.

"I doubt a fire could stop her," Tanto commented wryly. She wasn't particularly fond of the red queen, but she did admire Bomba's amazing survival instincts.

"That still doesn't explain why the door was barricaded," Alonzo pointed out.

"Perhaps whoever set the fire thought someone was still in the building," Tantomile supplied.

Alonzo nodded in agreement. "I'd buy that."

He stood up, his heart suddenly lighter at the thought, "Thanks a lot, Tantomile."

"You're welcome," she offered a smile—a rare thing for the black and white queen.

Alonzo turned to go. Suddenly, he turned back to Tantomile, "One more thing—don't tell anyone."

Tantomile nodded, although she didn't understand Alonzo's reasoning. Alonzo gave another grateful smile, "Thanks again."

Tantomile watched the black and white tom's retreating form with concern. Something was going on—something big. And despite her telepathic abilities, she couldn't figure it out. For weeks now, she had been bombarded with nightmares—nightmares that dragged her from sleep, kicking and screaming in fear, but that always disappeared from her addled brain as soon as she woke. Try as she might, she never could remember them—an ill omen indeed.

The black and white queen bit her lip as she turned these things over in her mind. Who was Alonzo trying to protect? Was he protecting someone—or deceiving them? And why, oh why, did Munkustrap think it was necessary to inspect a fire that was over a mile outside of Jellicle Territory? And how did the runaways fit into the scheme?

Tantomile gave a heavy sigh. It was all a very bad omen—very bad indeed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**_*Author's Note: To Health-Critic--I think your idea of Munku/Dem's relationship is spot-on. Hope this chappie seems more "fitting" to you. :)*_**

Cass wiped the sweat from her brow as she took a deep breath to steady herself. She was holding a board, which Pouncival was attempting to nail together to build a bunk bed.

"Ready?" Pouncival raised the makeshift hammer.

"Ready," Cass said, scrunching her face in uncertainty. She held the board in place, but she turned away, "I can't watch this."

Bomba snorted at Cassandra's lack of faith in Pouncival's carpentry skills. She was in the corner, cleaning the windows as Misto danced around the room with sponges on his feet—his version of mopping the floor. In the next room, Teaser and Mungo could be heard arguing over where to place the bed.

"Near the window!" Teaser commanded.

"Oi'll get a cold from the draft," Mungo complained.

"Then you can sleep on the floor," Teaser replied.

"Aw, Tease—"

Electra entered the room, covering her mouth to keep from laughing at Cassandra's expression. Pouncival apparently nicked his own paw with the hammer, because he gave a yelp and immediately stuck his claw in his mouth.

"Ohmigosh, are you OK?" Cassandra asked quickly, the concern evident in her voice.

"Lemme see," Bomba commanded, moving smoothly across the room. She inspected the red and now-swollen finger. She gave it a light kiss, "There. All better."

Pouncival just smiled. Bomba turned back to her windows. Her paws hit a wet patch left by Misto's mopping and she slipped, her arms and tail flailing about wildly. She fell back into Pouncival who caught her—but not before dropping the hammer on Cassandra's foot. The dark queen howled in pain.

Tugger came running into the room at the sound—only to discover Bomba wrapped up in Pounce's arms, smiling adoringly up at the young tom.

"What is going on?" The maine coon demanded.

"I slipped—luckily, Pounce caught me," Bomba gave a small giggle as the young tom helped her back onto her feet. She smiled at him once more, "Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks," Cassandra grumbled, licking her wounded paw. She handed the board to Electra, "You do it. I'm not putting myself in harm's way again."

Tugger was still staring angrily at Bomba. She gave a playful flick of her tail, arching her eyebrow and silently daring Tugger to say something. Rather than react in anger, Tugger decided to fight fire with fire.

"Here," he gently took Cassandra's paw. "Let me help you."

Bomba just chuckled as she watched Tugger gently massage the dark queen's paw. The Rum Tum Tugger was back to his old tricks—things were going to get more interesting indeed.

"I'm done!" Misto announced, skating his way across the floor and into the next room, where Teaser and Mungo were still engaged in a battle royale over furniture.

Once Cassandra was taken care of, Tugger moved across the room to Bombalurina, who had returned her attention to the windows.

"Need some help?" He asked in a low tone.

The corner of her mouth quirked as she fought back a smile, "Not really."

"Well then, do you _want_ some help?" Tugger rephrased the question.

"Sure," Bomba reached over and handed him another rag. There was a contented silence as the two cats cleaned the panes.

After a pause, Bombie commented, "You wouldn't help me last time."

Tugger knew she was referring to the previous loft, when they had first left the tribe.

"I've had a change of heart," Tugger joked. "Besides, you make it look so fun."

Bomba gave a wry laugh, "Yeah, it's just a blast."

"Well, if you're bored…" Tugger didn't finish the sentence. Bomba stopped, a soft smile on her face. She leaned against the window, crossing her arms over her chest.

"A little close to the line, aren't we?" She arched her eyebrow skeptically, but her dark eyes were dancing mischievously.

"Seems a little too far to me," Tugger replied smoothly. Bomba gave a deep chuckle.

"Oh, you just don't stop, do you?" She turned back to the window with a shake of her head.

"I will if you want me to," Tugger replied. His tone suddenly became serious. "All you have to do is ask."

Bomba didn't look at him. She bit her lip as she thought of the implications—something inside of her didn't want to lose that odd connection with Tugger, but another side of her screamed to end things now, before it became too dangerous.

Tugger stopped washing the pane to focus on Bomba's pale features. He could see the struggle in her dark eyes—he knew she was mentally weighing the decision in her mind.

"You don't have to decide right now," Tugger said gently, turning the situation into a joke. "But I am glad to see some hesitation on your part—it means I'm making progress."

"Progress?" She turned to him quizzically. An evil gleam entered her eyes, "What makes you think I'm not doing all this to lead you into a false sense of security?"

"You are a crafty little minx," Tugger wagged his finger at her. Bombalurina just smiled at the compliment.

"I know," she finished her part of the window, giving Tugger one last playful tap on the nose as she walked away. "Trust me, I know."

Tugger followed after her—this time, _he_ hit a wet patch and slipped, sliding across the floor and knocking Bomba over like a bowling pin. They stopped at the other end of the room, a tangled, giggling mess of arms, legs, and tails.

"You sure know how to sweep a queen off her feet," Bomba joked, trying to extricate herself from Tugger's grasp.

"What can I say? I'm a natural," Tugger quipped. The red queen laughed heartily at this. She pushed herself up again, but this time, Tugger grabbed her, pulling her in closer until her nose was just a breath away from his. A beat passed as Bomba's eyes met his, her mouth opened into a perfect little O of shock. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still.

"Yow!" Pouncival obviously injured himself again. The spell was broken; Bomba hurriedly got to her feet and dusted off her coat before helping Tugger get back up.

"Well," Bomba cleared her throat nervously. "I've got more windows to clean."

"And I've got to help Mungo build more bunks," Tugger left the room quickly.

Bomba looked around—Electra and Pouncival were completely unaware of the situation; both were engrossed in building the bunk. The red queen gave a heavy sigh. Why did things have to be so complicated?

_They don't have to be_, a small voice reminded her. _You are just making them that way_. _You could be with Tugger right now if you wanted—that silly rule was your own idea, remember?_

This elicited another sigh from the red queen. She thought the rule would keep her from becoming completely lost in Tugger, but it seemed that the more they were apart, the more she thought about him, the more desire consumed her. Once again, her plan had backfired.

_There's no going back now,_ she told herself. _It's way too late for that._

You see, for some strange reason, a feeling had started to come over Bombalurina—it began a few weeks ago, but had grown in intensity. Bomba had begun to feel as if time was running out; something inside of her pulsed with an odd sense of urgency. She had hoped that it was merely a premonition about the fire, but even after the previous night's disaster, the evil feeling still remained.

Bomba shook herself from her dark thoughts. She had more important things to deal with now—things that were real, not some silly notion in her brain.

"Bombsy!" Teaser called from the landing. "Help me wif these mattresses!"

The red queen nodded and went to help her sister. Tugger poked his head from the doorway.

"Hey, roomie, are we still sharing a room?" He asked playfully.

"I think I'll bunk with the other little girls," Bomba replied smoothly. She motioned to the room that Cassandra and Electra had chosen, "I think it'll be quieter."

"Well, our room is always open," Pouncival offered. "I'm sure Misto wouldn't mind if you joined us."

Bomba just smiled.

"Seriously," Tugger motioned down the hall. "There's a spare room—you can have one to yourself."

"Mungo moight be takin' the spare room," Teaser commented, shooting the tiger-striped tom a dark look.

"Oi jus' dohn' loike the bed being roight besoide the window!" Mungo protested, throwing his paws up in despair.

"Deal wif it, Spanky!" Teaser retorted. Mungojerrie gave a heavy sigh, but he kept his mouth shut. He knew arguing would be useless—once Rumpleteaser made up her mind, that was that.

"Hey, Boms!" Pouncival called from the hallway. "Where should we put the mirror?"

"Just leave it in the hall for now," Bomba called back. "We'll find a place for it later."

Pouncival nodded and shuffled back into the room that would soon belong to him and Misto. Electra smiled over her shoulder at him.

"I think it's sturdy enough," she patted the newly-built bunk. "Why don't you give it a try?"

Pouncival easily jumped onto the top bunk. He offered a hopeful smile, "Well, it didn't collapse right away."

"No, it'll probably wait til Misto is asleep on the bottom bunk, _then_ it will collapse," Electra commented dryly.

Misto frowned at the quip, "Thanks, Lecs, that really makes me feel safe."

The dark queen smiled, "Anything to help."

From the next room, Bomba and Tugger could hear the three young Jellicles laughing and joking.

"They get along well," Bomba smiled softly.

Tugger nodded in agreement.

After a slight pause, Bomba spoke again, "Will you promise me something?"

"Sure," Tugger smiled.

Bomba bit her lip as she thought about her next request, "If anything happens to me—"

"Don't even talk like that," Tugger said sternly. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

"It could," Bomba replied quietly, her dark eyes rising to meet Tugger's.

"It won't," Tugger whispered.

"But if it does—"

"I won't listen to this," Tugger shook his head, turning to leave. Bomba grabbed his elbow, her eyes filled with desperation.

"Please, Tugger, just listen. I know you don't like thinking about such things, but a fight with Munkustrap is unavoidable. And we have to be prepared for every possible outcome. If something happens to me, I need to know that someone will take care of Mistoffelees."

Tugger took a deep breath and nodded in understanding. He knew that Bombalurina was only thinking of her son's best interests; he could agree to her request. "I will, Bombie—I'll take care of him."

"Thanks." A smile blossomed on the red queen's face. Then, she shrugged, "Of course, that's only if you survive—a wuss like you might not last long in the fight."

"I'm a lover, not a fighter," Tugger grinned.

Bomba laughed, "That's not gonna help you when you're up against Munkustrap."

"What? You think I can't handle myself?" Tugger asked, playfully pushing the red queen.

"Nope," she replied with a laugh, pushing him back. The two began a playful scuffle. Soon, Bomba ran from the room, "Cass! Help!"

"What?" Cassandra came out of her room. She was instantly tackled by the two cats. "Hey!"

The dark queen ran back into her room. She quickly returned with a pillow, turning down the hall to yell, "Lecs, reinforcements!"

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser stood beside the window, listening to the joyous shrieks and laughter as Pounce, Lecs, and Misto joined the fun.

"Sad, innit?" Teaser shook her head.

"Yep," Mungo sighed. "When are those two gonna admit they're crazy about each other?"

~*~

"You sure are chipper today," Demeter commented as she glanced at her mate.

"Am I?" Munkustrap asked, bending over to scoop Catrice into his arms. The other two kits were toddling around the yard, not far from their mother's reach.

Demeter nodded, "You've been grinning like an ape all morning."

Munkustrap chuckled, "I'm just in a good mood."

The silver tabby kissed his mate affectionately, taking another moment to nuzzle her pink nose. He gently deposited his daughter in Demeter's paws, "I've got to get back—the last minute preparations for the Ball are still underway."

The black and gold queen simply nodded in understanding, setting Catrice down so that the kit could scurry off to play with her brother and sister.

Munku flashed one last smile at his mate, "Don't fill up your dance card tonight, Beautiful."

"Why? Is some handsome stranger going to waltz me into the night?" Demeter asked playfully.

"He just might," Munkustrap came back to give her one last kiss. "Love you."

"Love you, too," she smiled up at him.

With that, Munkustrap turned and disappeared into the hustle and bustle of the yard once more. Demeter gave a heavy sigh as she watched her kittens pounce each other. It was hard to believe that the Jellicle Ball was finally here—and without Bombie and Misto! Tonight just wouldn't be the same without Bombalurina at her side, without Teaser and Mungo's devilish pranks—she would even miss Tugger's show-stopping antics.

It was amazing to see how much things had changed in a year. Things that Demeter had taken for granted as always being there were now gone, disappearing like the early morning fog or snow in spring. But that was life—and as hard as it was, it always continued, never slacking, never sleeping.

"Hello, Mummy," Jemima sing-songed, giving her mother a quick peck on the cheek. She ran over to her younger siblings, who all squealed with delight at the sight of their older sister.

Demeter smiled as she watched the kits tackle Jemima. There were still plenty of things to be grateful for. And despite her losses, life was still worth living.

~*~

Munkustrap couldn't help but whistle as he made his way back to the center of the junkyard. The traitors were dead and all was well in the world. He waved to Tumblebrutus, who was preparing for his role as Leader of the Revel—the position that Munkustrap had once held, when Deuteronomy was still the Jellicle Leader.

Suddenly, Plato and Admetus appeared beside him.

"Sir, may we have a word with you?" Admetus' face told Munkustrap that it was a very serious matter.

"What's wrong?" Munku didn't waste time with pleasantries.

"They're still alive," Admetus whispered, looking around furtively to make sure no one overheard them.

"Impossible," Munku replied, waving away the thought.

"We checked the site again—just like you told us to," Plato spoke up. "No one was killed in that fire."

Munkustrap took a moment to stare at the two toms. They were his most trusted advisors—they were the only two who knew of his plans against the rebels or his alliance with the rats. They would never lie to him about such a thing. Which meant the traitors were still alive—and more than likely aware of his plans.

"How did this happen?" Munkustrap asked in a low tone, trying to keep his anger in check.

"We don't know," Plato answered, stealing a nervous glance at Admetus.

"Don't worry," Admetus stepped forward. "I still have a few connections in the underground. I think I can get the traitors to come out of hiding—and when I do, we can take care of them ourselves. No screw-ups."

Munkustrap gave a curt nod. "Do what you have to do."

~*~

Bomba picked up her rag and went back to cleaning the windows. She frowned as she looked out at the darkening sky, "Looks like a storm is headed this way."

Mungo came to the window, his face etched with concern as he peered up at the heavens. "It's gonna be a rough one."

Bombalurina shuddered. She hated storms.

"And on the night of the Jellicle Ball," Cass commented, shaking her head sadly. "What a sorry proceeding it'll be this year."

"Tell me about it," Mungo gave a contemptuous snort. "All the fun Jellicles are 'ere. Can y'imagine 'ow dull it'll be wifout us?"

Bomba gave a small chuckle of agreement.

"Alroight, ev'rybody, loights out," Teaser entered the room with her usual air of authority.

Everybody nodded and did as they were told. Mistoffelees and Pounce jumped into their bunk; Misto silently prayed that Pouncival's handiwork would stand the test. Mungo and Teaser quickly climbed into their bed—which was beside the window, just as Teaser had wanted. Electra and Cassandra went back to the room that they had chosen.

"Are you sure you don't want the extra room?" Tugger motioned down the hall.

"I don't like sleeping alone," Bomba admitted with a small smile.

"Neither do I," Tugger replied. There was a slight twinkle in his eyes.

"Was that an invitation?" Bomba asked, her mouth curving into a mischievous smile.

"Depends," Tugger returned the grin. "Are you accepting the invitation?"

Bomba laughed, shaking her head softly, "I don't like sleeping alone, but I'm not good at sharing a bed, either."

"Well, it just so happens that I have a bunk bed," Tugger reminded her. He bowed, motioning towards his bedroom, "I will even let the lady choose which bunk she wants."

"Top," Bomba replied smoothly. "I'm always on top."

"Sounds like my kind of queen," Tugger arched his eyebrow suggestively. Bomba just laughed and gave him a playful push. The two cats climbed into their separate bunks, curling up and drifting into peaceful slumber.

~*~

"So, how are we going to get the traitors to come out of hiding?" Plato asked, turning to Admetus. They were seated by the pipe, watching as the rest of the cats danced around the yard.

"Simple," Admetus gave a careless shrug. "If they survived the fire, then they've gotta know that somebody's after them. I'll bet they saw the rats the night of the fire—everybody knows that the rats work for Macavity."

Admetus sat back, as if that explained everything. Plato's face skewed in confusion, "I still don't see how that—"

"Look, Bombalurina was Macavity's mate, once upon a time," Admetus sighed, as if Plato were a complete idiot for not understanding. "So if she thinks Macavity is after them, then she'll go looking for him—to confront him about it."

"And how do you know she'll go looking for Macavity?" Plato asked.

"Because the Hidden Paw is going to send our little red queen a note," Admetus held up a scrap of paper. His thin lips curved into an evil smile, "And knowing Bomba, she won't dare refuse a chance to meet with him again—she's too desperate for an answer, and too much of a fighter to let this one go."

Suddenly, it all made sense to Plato. He nodded in understanding. "Admetus, you really are a genius. Those cats will play right into our paws."

"You know what they say," Admetus' wicked grin deepened. "Curiosity killed the cat."

~*~

The roll of thunder shook the entire loft, causing Bombalurina to start from her sleep. She glanced fearfully up at the window, where she could see lightning snake across the black sky. She clutched her blanket tighter—she was terrified of storms.

Another clap of thunder roared through the building; Bomba had to cover her mouth from crying out in fear. She wrapped her tail around herself protectively, but she knew it would do little to calm her nerves.

She heard Tugger shift underneath her. She peered over the edge of the bunk.

"Tugger?"

"Yeah, Boms?"

"Can I…Can I sleep with you?"

"Bombie, baby, I never thought you'd ask," Tugger replied smoothly, flashing a charming grin up at the red queen.

"You know what I mean," Bomba gave an agitated frown.

The thunder sounded again, causing Bomba to jump in surprise.

"Hey, are you OK?" Tugger suddenly became very concerned.

"I just don't like storms," Bomba admitted sheepishly. "They scare me."

Tugger nodded in understanding. He knew how hard it was for Bombalurina to admit any weakness—she must really be afraid of storms.

"Here," he slipped out of the bed. "I'll let you sleep next to the wall—so you'll feel safe."

"Thanks," Bomba gave a relieved smile as she hopped to the floor and got in Tugger's bed. The maine coon laid down beside her, staring up at the bunk beams.

"Ya know, I always imagined that when I finally did get you into bed, it'd be a lot more exciting than this," Tugger commented dryly.

Bomba laughed. "I'm glad I still have the power to surprise you."

"Night, Bombie."

"Night, Tugsy."

There was a pause as the two cats tried to return to sleep. Suddenly, Bomba spoke, breaking the silence.

"Tugger?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For everything." Bomba flashed him a wide smile. "For keeping me safe from the storm, from saving me in the fire—for being my friend, even when we fight."

Tugger smiled at the compliment. Still, he couldn't resist adding, "What? You think all that was for free? No, no, baby—Tugger's doing all this with the end result in mind."

Bombalurina chuckled softly at the quip. In a bold move, she nestled her head onto his chest, closing her eyes and feeling safer than she had felt in many years.

At first, Tugger was shocked by the action—not that it was unwelcome, mind you. He simply smiled to himself. He suddenly decided that he loved thunderstorms. Very much.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**_*Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long, chickadees! But life has been a bit hectic these days--never fear, this tale will be wrapped up by the end of the week!*_**

The factory bell rang below, signaling the start of a new day. Almost simultaneously, a gust of wind blew the window open, sending in a cool breeze. Bombie groaned, pushing Tugger towards the edge of the bed, "Get up. Go shut the window."

"You do it," Tugger grumbled, burrowing further under the covers.

"No. You're the tom; I'm just a defenseless queen, remember?" Bomba's voice still held the grogginess of sleep, but her humor was evident. Tugger chuckled—it was just like Bomba to play the gender card at a time like this.

"Toime to shoine!" Teaser burst into the room like a kid on Christmas morning. Tugger and Bomba raised their heads sleepily, shielding their eyes from the bright light.

"Oh," Teaser blushed, suddenly realizing that they were in the same bed. "Sorry, Oi di'int mean ta—"

"What?" Bombie sat up quickly, realizing how compromising the situation seemed. "Oh, Bast, no!"

She used her long and powerful hind legs to catapult Tugger from the bed. He landed on the floor in a disgruntled heap.

"Nothing happened," Bombie turned to Teaser with wide eyes. Teaser nodded. She had seen Bombie's shocked expression; she believed her sister. Teaser knew that if Bombie actually had sex with the Rum Tum Tugger, she would have been much more coy and nonchalant.

Although Teaser couldn't understand why Bombie was so vehement about not sleeping with Tugger. He was quite a catch.

"Oi'm jus' gonna go wake up the others," the tiger striped queen said, shutting the door behind her quietly.

"Jeez," Tugger rubbed his head, which had hit the floor with a resounding smack when Bomba had pushed him out of bed. "Am I that repulsive to you?"

"Of course not," Bomba said simply. "I've just got a reputation to protect."

"So do I," Tugger grumbled. "And having a chick toss me out of bed is not helping that reputation."

"Sorry, Doll," Bomba leaned over to smile at him. "It was an instant reaction. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Uh-huh," Tugger didn't sound convinced. He got up and dusted off his fur. "Well, I guess it's time for the morning run with Commando Teaser."

Bomba chuckled in agreement, slipping out of bed and stretching out her long legs. "Who knew that little pip-squeak could possess so much determination?"

"That li'l pip-squeak also possesses excellent 'earing!" Teaser called out from the hallway. This only made Bombalurina and Tugger laugh even harder.

The red queen moved to shut the window. Suddenly, something caught her eye—a movement across the street. She couldn't be certain, but she thought she saw a rat.

~*~

"I was right," Admetus announced happily. He had taken Munkustrap and Plato to the abandoned corner of the yard to discuss his plan. "The traitors moved to Tugger's old love nest past the old marketplace."

"How did you even know about that?" Munkustrap was genuinely impressed.

"Tugger and I used to be pretty good friends," Admetus shrugged. "I remember him talking about it—so I sent the rats to look around, and they found it. One of the rats also mentioned seeing several cats emerge from the top story window this morning—one was red, one was a dark exotic, and one had a mane."

"Bombalurina, Cassandra, and Tugger," Plato said quietly.

Admetus nodded in agreement, "They also spotted two other cats, who could only be Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser—plus a black and white tom."

"Mistoffelees," Munkustrap said darkly. "So they are all still alive—and living at Tugger's old haunt."

"Not for long," Admetus grinned. "I'm having the message sent over to Bombalurina this evening—we'll have the traitors by tomorrow night."

"How exactly do you plan to send the message?" Munku was curious.

"Trust me," Admetus wrapped a friendly arm around the silver tom's shoulder. "You will definitely approve of the delivery method."

~*~

There was a tap at the window. Bomba's ears swiveled at the sound. There it was again—a light rap on the pane. She did not move; she patiently waited for the scratching sound—after a few seconds, she was rewarded.

She sat up. She knew from the sound of Tugger's snores that the maine coon had not heard the sound. She still hadn't told him about seeing the rat earlier that day—she was still praying that it was only her overactive imagination.

Another tap. Bombalurina stealthily slipped out of the top bunk and went to the window on silent paws. She couldn't see anyone, but her instincts informed her that something was definitely out there.

The red queen quietly opened the window, pulling herself onto the roof. This building was not like their last place—the top story windows were dormer windows, leading straight to the slanted rooftop.

As soon as she set her paws on the tiled roof, Bombalurina knew she'd made a mistake. Two dark figures attacked from each side, grabbing her roughly and dragging her to the edge of the roof. She tried to kick her way out, but their grasp was too tight.

They held her over the edge of the roof; her back paws dug into the rain gutter as she tried to steady her long frame and keep from toppling several stories to her death.

"That's a long way to fall, kitty," one of the figures chuckled.

_Rats_, Bomba realized. _I should've known by the smell._

She wisely kept her comments to herself. The two henchrats whirled her around to face a third vermin, whose dark eyes glittered evilly at the red queen.

"What do you want?" Bomba growled, still trying to wrench away from her two captors.

"Just a word," the third replied smoothly.

"A word, huh?" Bomba arched her eyebrow skeptically. "Well, I've to three for you: _go to hell_."

She kicked out with her hind feet, using her claws to land a blow squarely to his face. The rat gave a gasp of pain, clutching his cheek. Bomba used the moment of surprise to elbow one of her captors, causing him to loosen his grip. But sadly, she wasn't quick enough—the third rat lunged at her, grabbing her by the throat. He slowly moved toward the edge of the roof, until Bomba's hind legs were on the very edge of the gutter, struggling to keep from slipping.

"Look, kitty—we can do this the easy way or the hard way," he hissed, tightening his grip around her pale neck. Bomba gasped for air, futilely scratching his arm to release her. The rat continued, "You choose. You gonna act right?"

As much as she hated to admit defeat, Bomba knew she couldn't last very long without oxygen. So she nodded. The rat released her neck, allowing her to fall forward, gasping for air.

"That's better," he smirked. He tossed a piece of paper at her feet. "We got a message for ya. Special Delivery, from Ol' Napoleon himself."

Bomba stared down at the paper in disbelief. The three rats turned to go. In a sudden display of force, the red queen lashed out, knocking over one of the rats and tossing him off the roof in one fluid motion. There was a shriek, followed by a dull thud as the rat's body hit the pavement several stories below.

Bombalurina turned back to the other two, her head humming with adrenaline. She waited for retaliation, but surprisingly, none came.

"No skin off my nose," sniffed the third rat. He grinned, giving Bomba a wink as he walked away, "But I like your spunk."

Bombalurina watched the remaining two rats scurry across the rooftops, their oily black coats moving like water beneath the pale moon. Once she was certain that they were gone, she turned her attention back to the note.

She bent over, suddenly overcome with fatigue from the ordeal. Gingerly, she lifted up the scrap of paper, as if it might disintegrate in her paw. She read the message.

"_Bombalurina:_

_By now, I'm sure you have some questions for me. I have a few for you as well. Noon at Le Chat Chinois._

_Macavity."_

Bomba folded up the note, a concerned frown on her lovely features. She unconsciously tried to tuck the note in her collar—only to realize she no longer had a collar. She had lost it during the fire. She gave an agitated sigh, looking around the abandoned rooftop. She knew she had to go back inside, curl up in her bed and pretend that nothing had happened, but her whole body jumped and quivered with nerves. This place wasn't safe anymore—no place was. As long as Macavity was alive, Bombalurina and the rest of the rebels would be in constant fear for their lives.

That only left one alternative. Macavity had to die.

~*~

Morning came all too quickly for the red queen—she had spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, trying to find an answer to the questions that swirled around her mind. Soon everyone was up, preparing for the day ahead. Bomba chose to stay in her room, hoping that some time alone would help clear her troubled mind.

Bombalurina stared down at the note. She still couldn't comprehend last night's events—this wasn't like Mac at all. Despite all the bitterness between the two cats, Bombalurina knew that Macavity still loved her. He would never have allowed his henchrats to harm her—not that rats were renowned for following orders, but he would have instilled such a fear of retribution that they never would have treated her so roughly.

Something else didn't add up—the note. It was addressed to Bombalurina. Macavity never called her by her name. Since the night they had met, he had always referred to her as Red.

An odd feeling passed through Bombie's mind. This was only another incident in a long line of things that simply didn't make sense. The red queen felt that a trap was being constructed around her, although she didn't know how or why.

Just then, Tugger walked into the room, "Are you sure you don't want breakfast?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Bomba said distractedly, quickly stuffing the note under her pillow.

"Have I…said or done something to upset you?" Tugger asked, cocking his head to the side curiously. "You've barely said a word all morning."

"No," Bomba shook her head. "It's nothing like that. I just…am a bit out of it this morning."

"Is everything OK?" Tugger spoke quietly, moving closer to her.

"Yes," Bomba couldn't help but smile at his concern. She slipped off the top bunk and gave the maine coon a hug, "Don't worry about me, OK?"

Tugger wasn't exactly sure why Bomba was hugging him, but he didn't complain. Softly, he admitted, "It's hard not to."

"I know," Bomba gave a gentle smile.

"You really are acting strange today," Tugger commented, looking down at her. Bomba gave a soft chuckle of agreement.

"Do you trust me?" Bomba asked quietly.

Tugger nodded.

"Then there's nothing to worry about," she offered another reassuring smile before leaving the room. She still had work to do.

"Rumpleteaser," she called her sister's name. Immediately the tiger striped queen appeared. Bomba motioned to the door. Teaser nodded and followed her sister out of the loft and onto the steel beams that overlooked the factory floor.

There was a moment of silence as the two queens watched the humans shuffling around below. Finally, Bomba spoke.

"I need your help."

Teaser nodded, still unsure of what was going on.

"I received a message this morning—from Macavity."

"Wot?" Teaser's eyes widened in shock.

"Well, supposedly from Macavity," Bomba corrected. "I'm not entirely convinced that he sent it."

"Oi dohn' unda-stand," Teaser admitted.

"It's a long story," Bomba sighed. She shook herself from her thoughts, "But that's not what matters—I have a meeting with whomever sent that letter today. I have a feeling that it's a trap."

"Oi'm comin' wif you," Teaser announced.

"No," Bomba shook her head. "You can't. If it is a trap, then you'll scare them off."

"So wot do you expect me ta do, jus' sit 'ere and twiddle my thumbs?" Teaser asked angrily. She didn't like the idea of Bomba going into the enemy camp without back up.

"Just trust me on this one, OK?" Bomba focused her dark eyes on Teaser's green ones intently. "Whoever is waiting for me has an agenda. As soon as I find out what that agenda is, then I'll bring them back here. So I need you to stay here, and be prepared for anything. And above all, make sure everyone else is out of here."

Teaser nodded in understanding, "So Tugger has no idea wot's goin' on."

"No," Bomba admitted. She gave her sister a meaningful look, "And he will not know about it."

Teaser sighed, but she agreed to her sister's terms.

"One thing," Teaser held up a cautionary paw. "Mungo and Pounce will need to stay 'ere, too."

"Why?" Bomba was confused.

"Cos whoever walks through that door wif you this afternoon isn't leavin' 'ere aloive," Teaser said quietly.

Bomba nodded in agreement. There was a moment of silence as both cats thought about the implications of their future actions.

"Go to yore meetin," Teaser assumed her usual air of authority. "Oi'll send Tugger out wif Cass, Lecs, and Misto on the mornin' run. Me and the other two will wait 'ere."

"Wish me luck," Bomba gave a half-hearted smile.

"Happy hunting," Teaser replied, a slight wave of fear passing through her green eyes. This was becoming a dangerous game, but it was one that had to be played.

~*~

Bombalurina entered Le Chat Chinois, looking around anxiously for the infamous gingertom. She found a seat in the back, taking a nervous breath as she waited for the Hidden Paw to appear. Minute after agonizing minute ticked by, and still no sign of Mac. She craned her neck, trying to spot her former mate among the crowd of cats, but she was filled with the sinking feeling that Macavity was not going to show.

She looked up at the clock. An hour had passed. This wasn't like Mac at all—another confirmation that the mysterious note was not sent by the Hidden Paw.

Bomba sat up a little straighter, scanning the room again. This time, she was looking for cats out of the ordinary—if this was a trap, then someone had to be there to tighten the noose.

That's when she spotted him. Admetus.

She swore under her breath, "I should've known."

The red queen took a moment to contemplate the situation. If she left now, Admetus would undoubtedly follow her. If he discovered their new hideout, then everyone would be in danger. She had gotten herself into this mess by following the faulty note; now it was time to get herself out of it.

Pasting on her usual alluring smile, she quickly got up and made her way to the bar, where the tom was seated. If he was part of the trap, then her survival depended on playing her role perfectly.

"Hello there," she moved behind him, lightly wrapping her tail around him.

Admetus turned around in shock, "Bombalurina! What are you doing here?"

"I think the better question is: what are _you_ doing here?" She purred, never losing her seductive smirk.

"I left the Tribe," Admetus announced. "Shortly after you ran away—I just felt the need to escape. So I did."

"Where have you been staying?" The red queen asked, her dark eyes burrowing into his, as if she was trying to read Admetus' mind.

"Near the railway station," Admetus motioned in the direction of the train tracks.

Bomba bit her lip, pretending to be deep in thought. She knew what she was supposed to do now, what Admetus expected of her.

"Well, you could come stay with us," Bomba spoke in a breathy whisper, widening her eyes to feign innocence. It had been a while since she had played the coquette, but she still played the part to perfection. She moved a little closer, lightly placing her paw on his chest, "You might have to share a bed, but surely it's better than being alone."

"I think I could handle that," Admetus assured her. He leaned in, mentally congratulating himself on the success of his well-crafted plan. Bomba smiled at the thought that Admetus was truly convinced that he had her fooled.

"In fact," she adopted her trademark purr. "There's nobody at the loft right now. Perhaps you and I could…reminisce about old times?"

"I'd like that very much," Admetus grinned. Bomba leaned forward, as if to kiss him; Admetus patiently waited for her lips to meet his. But just before they did, Bombalurina turned away quickly.

"Not here," she whispered, taking Admetus' paw and leading him through the crowded room. She flashed a smile over her shoulder, her dark eyes dancing with excitement. She gave a giggle, "C'mon. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

~*~

"Now," Mungojerrie sat before Pouncival, giving the young tom a very serious expression. "No mattah' who walks through that door, you an' Oi are gonna hafta finish 'im off. Unda-stand?"

Pouncival nodded, swallowing nervously at the thought of taking another cat's life.

"Are you OK?" Mungo asked.

Pounce nodded, "Yeah, I'm just a little…I mean, I've never murdered anyone before."

"This is not murder," Mungo reminded him sternly. "This is survoival. An' when it comes down to it, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Rememba' this cat is responsible for troyin' to burn us to crisps. It's us or them, chum."

"I understand," Pouncival said solemnly. This still did not ease the knot in his stomach.

~*~

"So, why exactly did you leave the Tribe?" Bombalurina asked. Somehow, when she said it, the question sounded like a come-on instead of an actual query.

Admetus shrugged, "I just disapproved of Munkustrap's ways."

"Oh, really?" She purred, smiling over her shoulder as she led him up the staircase. They were almost to the loft. "What was he doing that seemed so wrong?"

Admetus smiled back. He decided that since Bomba wouldn't live to see the morning, it would be OK to share a few secrets. Dead cats tell no tales, right?

~*~

"I'm back early," Tugger announced, breezing through the main room. "Cass kept Misto and Lecs out on the course. They should be home soon."

Teaser's face paled with shock, but she quickly recovered when she saw Tugger move towards his bedroom door.

"Oi wouldn't go in there if Oi were you," Teaser warned. Tugger opened his mouth to ask why, but his question was answered by Bombalurina's cry of joy behind the closed door.

Teaser just gave a sheepish grin, holding up the deck of cards, "Wanna play a hand? It's gonna be awhoile."

Teaser was right—it seemed like an eternity before the doorknob turned, opening to produce a flushed and happy Bombalurina and…_Admetus?!_

Tugger rose to his full height when he saw the tom. His mane bristled as he tried to control his anger. His eyes never left Admetus' face, but he spoke to Bombie, "What is he doing here?"

"He was just leaving," Bombie gently led Admetus toward the door with a soft smile. They exchanged farewells in low tones; Tugger watched with jealous eyes as Bombie leaned on the doorframe, cooing and nuzzling Admetus before he left.

The red queen closed the door with a self-satisfied smile, turning to the others with expectant eyes, "Well, that went well."

"Oi'll say," Teaser turned back to her cards with a wry smile.

Tugger did not see the humor in the situation, "What were you thinking? He's one of Munku's top toms! Now he knows where we live!"

"Oh, it's not the end of the world," Bombalurina said lazily, seating herself at the table, beside Teaser. Mungo and Pounce entered, their expressions telling Tugger that they knew about the game afoot. They took their seats at the table, not daring to look the maine coon in the eye.

"Do you honestly believe that turn-tail will think twice about telling Munku everything he knows?" Tugger whirled back to the red queen. "How can you be so stupid, Bomba? He used you!"

Bombie gave a knowing wink to Pouncival and Mungojerrie, who arose and exited without a word, "He won't be returning to Munkustrap, darling. And dear Admetus was quite a chatterbox, by the way. So I guess you could say _I_ used _him_."

Her dark eyes glittered mischievously, a smug smile appeared on her pretty features. Seeing that Tugger was not amused by this, Bomba lost her smile. She rose from her seat, her expression now very serious, "Look, Tugger, we all have to pull our weight around here. My talent is seduction; so I might as well put it to good use."

"I will not have you whoring yourself out for information," Tugger growled.

Bomba and Teaser both laughed heartily at this.

"Tugsy, darling," Bomba caught her breath from laughing so hard. "I really don't think you have any say in the matter."

"Yeah," Teaser piped up gleefully. "Tha' ol' whore's gonna sleep 'round, moight as well do it for a good cause.'

Bombalurina shot her little sister a warning look. Teaser gave a disarming smile.

"I will not tolerate this," Tugger replied harshly. Bombalurina laughed again.

"Oh really?" She moved closer to the maine coon, her dark eyes twinkling with an evil smirk, "And what makes you think I need your approval, Rum Tum Tugger?"

"As your leader, I will _not_ tolerate this," Tugger repeated, his voice low and menacing. The red queen suddenly lost her playful smile.

"How dare you assume the right to dictate to me," she growled, jutting her chin out defiantly. "I am a full-grown queen—I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Your actions put everyone else in danger," Tugger returned the growl.

Bomba gave an ugly laugh, "So that's what this is about?"

"What else would this be about?" Tugger demanded harshly. "My job is to protect these cats—despite your attempts to have us all killed!"

The red queen stepped forward, whispering in his ear, "Are you sure you're just not jealous because I'm sleeping with someone else and not you?"

"That has nothing to with this," Tugger said quietly. He looked over Bomba's shoulder to see Teaser, who was straining to hear their conversation. He was instantly filled with anger. Why did Bombalurina always have to parade their fights in the public arena?

"We'll settle this later," he said darkly.

"It's already settled," Bomba shot back.

"Not until I say so," Tugger growled.

"Look," Bomba fluffed her whiskers with a careless air. "You can throw as many tantrums as you want, but what's done is done. So deal with it."

With that, the queen shot Tugger one last dark look, turning quickly and exiting the loft.

Tugger stared at Bombie's retreating form, his anger rising at her flippant behavior. She had completely circumvented his authority—and risked everyone's lives in the process!

"Wotcha thinkin', Fearless Leader?" Teaser asked quietly, offering a small smile. The tension in the room was unbearable.

"I trying to decide if I should kill Bomba now with my bare paws or smother her while she sleeps," Tugger replied dryly. Teaser wasn't sure if it was a joke or not, so she kept quiet.

~*~

"'Ere we go," Mungojerrie heaved the burlap sack over the edge, into the murky waters of the harbor.

Pouncival peered over the edge, watching as the sack hit the water with a loud splash, sinking to rise no more. He tried not to remember that it was filled with the remains of Admetus, Tom of the Watch.

"Y'okay?" Mungo asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Yep," Pounce gave a small nod. He had thought it would be harder to kill someone—harder to take someone's life in his paws, to take from another what was not rightfully his to take—but it was surprisingly easy.

"Ya better get used to it," Mungo reminded him. "For the next coupla' months, this is gonna become a regular occurrence. War is nasty business."

Pouncival contemplated the tiger striped tom's words as they made their way through the narrow streets of London. Ever since he had left the Tribe, he had known this day would come. He knew that he would have to face his old friends, to shed blood in the name of his cause. But until now, it hadn't been real—but Admetus was real, a tom he had known all of his life, a Jellicle, a cat of flesh and blood.

The young tom took a deep breath. This was a dangerous new world—and now that he had entered it, there was no going back.

~*~

"We're back!" Cass announced joyously, easily slipping in through the window. Much to her surprise, no one was happy to see them—Tugger and Teaser were both staring blankly at the wall, their faces masked in unreadable expressions.

"Where's everybody else?" Electra asked, looking around anxiously.

"Mungo and Pounce are out," Teaser said cryptically, shooting a worried glance at Tugger. "And Bombsy went for a walk."

"By herself?" Misto was instantly concerned.

"Don't worry," Tugger couldn't keep the sarcasm from his voice. "She can handle herself."

"Would one of you like to tell me what's going on here?" Cassandra demanded, taking time to stare at Tugger and Teaser individually.

"Sit down," Tugger gave a sigh. "A lot has happened while you were out."

Rumpleteaser bit back a grin. That was the understatement of the century.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Cassandra sat down uneasily at the table. She had hoped that Tugger and Bomba had slept off the previous day's disagreement, but from the stony looks on their faces, she could tell that they were still not speaking.

She gave a heavy sigh—Tugger had only provided the basic facts about Bomba's escapade, but the dark queen knew that it had caused yet another rift between the maine coon and the red queen.

"Good morning," Bombalurina said quietly, not even bothering to look up. Everyone but Tugger returned her greeting. She briefly stole a saddened glance at Tugger, but she did not say anything.

Cassandra watched this exchange with mild curiosity. Last time, it was Tugger begging forgiveness of Bomba—now it seemed that the tables were turned.

"Who's goin' on the run taday?" Mungo entered the room in a chipper mood. "Tease is already out on the roof."

"We're going," Lecs nudged Misto and motioned for him to follow her.

"Me, too," Pounce jumped up, eager to escape the tension-filled room.

"I think I'll stay here," Bomba replied softly, gently tracing the wood grain with her claw.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Tugger spoke for the first time, shooting Bomba a dark glance. "You shouldn't be left to your own devices."

Sensing another impending fight, the rest of the cats quickly left the room.

"Why must you do this?" Bomba asked quietly, burying her head in her paws.

"Do what? Air our grievances in public, like you always do?" Tugger shot back harshly.

"No," Bomba replied. "I meant why do you always doubt my judgment?"

"What?" Tugger was genuinely shocked by her question.

"When we fought about Pounce—it was because you didn't think I'd stick by my own rules." Bomba gave a heavy sigh. "And now you think that the whole episode with Admetus was complete idiocy—"

"How else would you classify it?" Tugger asked.

"Would you let me finish the damn sentence?!" Bomba slammed her fists on the table. Tugger sat back, surprised by her sudden onslaught of anger. Until this point, she had been quiet, almost passive.

The red queen stood up and took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "Look, I made a choice—and in this situation, I think it was the right one. Admetus was going to come here, with or without my invitation. I saw that we were being led into a trap, and I took control of the situation."

"What are you talking about?" Tugger was suddenly confused.

Bombalurina disappeared into the bedroom, only to return with the note.

"Read it," she commanded, although it was completely unnecessary—Tugger was already pouring over the message.

"When did you get this?" He asked softly, holding up the piece of paper.

"Two nights ago," Bomba admitted, looking down at the ground. "The night before I brought Admetus here."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tugger's face filled with hurt.

"I knew you wouldn't agree to it," the red queen said softly. Suddenly she felt very bad about keeping Tugger out of the loop.

"You're absolutely right," Tugger said authoritatively. His hurt was replaced by anger once more. "What were you thinking?"

"Things weren't adding up," Bombalurina said quietly. "I had to know who set the fire—"

"We already know who set the fire!" Tugger threw up his paws in exasperation. "Macavity!"

"No," Bomba shook her head. "The rats don't work for Mac anymore."

"What?" Tugger stopped and stared at Bomba as if she'd grown a second head.

"They work for Munkustrap," Bombalurina said quietly. She looked up at Tugger, "Admetus told me everything."

Tugger did not know what to say. Finally, he regained his voice, "That still does not excuse your actions today. You should have told me—"

"I am sick of being told what I should have done!" Bomba cried out angrily, shoving the table back with a sudden forcefulness. "What's done is done—why can't you just accept it and move on?"

"Because your decision ended with the death of a Jellicle—that is unacceptable!" Tugger thundered back, rising to his feet and towering over the red queen menacingly.

"He was our enemy!" Bomba retorted.

"He was still a Jellicle!" Tugger matched Bomba in volume.

"This is a war; those decisions are necessary!" Bomba yelled, her voice cracking hoarsely. She turned away, taking a deep breath and trying to reel in her tumultuous emotions, "Look, Tugger, in a perfect world, this would all end without so much as a single scratch—but this world is far from perfect, and we are battling for our lives."

Bomba waited for her words to sink in. She continued, "You need to realize that once this ends, more than likely one of us won't be here—maybe you, maybe me, maybe Lecs or Misto or Teaser. There is a very high chance that some of us won't live to see this fight through. So yes, my decision was brash and a bit hasty, but at the end of the day, when I see you and the six other cats still alive—six cats who risked their lives to be here—I think it was a decision worth making. If I can keep these cats alive for just one day longer, then it has all been worth it. Think of that next time you condemn me or my decisions."

With that, the red queen left the loft. Tugger just stared after her in shocked silence. In a way, he knew she was right—given the circumstances, she had chosen the best option for the entire group. She was also right about something else—he was jealous. But he was also protective of her; he couldn't believe she would willingly put herself in such danger. The very thought of Bombie going alone to meet with the enemy was enough to fill Tugger with fear. She was brave, but sometimes she could be foolhardy—Tugger was afraid that one day, her exploits would get her killed, and he honestly didn't know if he could deal with such a fate.

_You need to just tell her how you feel_, a small voice inside Tugger's head replied. _You've spent too much time worrying about how she would react—just do it!_

Tugger took a deep breath. Perhaps it was time to finally confess everything to the red queen—how he felt, how he'd always felt about her, how he desperately wished for the silly friends-only rule to be abolished, so that he could truly show her how much he cared. He gave a slight nod. He would do it. He should have done it weeks ago, when she returned from the Tribe, but fear had stopped him. He would not allow that to happen again.

Tugger summoned up his courage, staring out at the busy streets below. Now was not the time for fear—it was the time for action.

~*~

"So, Munkustrap still doesn't suspect anything?" Cetty asked. She and Tumble were having their daily meeting to assess the situation with Electra. Ever since they had confessed the dark queen's absence, they had been on pins and needles, praying that Munkustrap would not connect the dots between Electra and the other rebels.

Tumble shook his head, "Nope. He thinks Electra escaped during the whole ordeal with Aleyn."

"So…maybe he'll think it was just a stupid, impulsive thing, right?" Cetty's face was filled with hope. "Maybe he won't think Lecs is a traitor."

The last word hung like a heavy cloud over the two Jellicles. As a watch tom, Tumble had overheard enough of Admetus' and Plato's conversations to know that Bomba and the other missing Jellicles had returned to Tugger. He knew he wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but since he and Cetty were in the business of keeping secrets these days, he felt he could tell her about it.

Tumblebrutus was still looking for an excuse, "There's still a chance that she didn't go with the others."

"Do you honestly think she didn't?" Cetty asked.

"No," Tumble admitted. He gave a heavy sigh, "I just don't understand. I mean, why follow the Rum Tum Tugger? He's a crackpot—no offense, Cetty. I know you thought he was pretty awesome, but even you have to admit that he was way out of line—that's why he got banished in the first place!"

"But he was right," Etcetera said quietly. "He tried to warn us, but we didn't listen."

"So, what are you saying exactly?" Tumble asked suspiciously. "That, if given the chance, you would run off with them?"

"I didn't say that," Etcetera replied.

"Look, I know things around here aren't exactly peachy, but this is how it has to be," Tumble reminded her. Now he was in full preaching mode. "I mean, these rules are in place to protect us—yes, they might infringe on our freedom from time to time—"

" 'From time to time'?!" Cetty scoffed. "How about 'all the time'?"

"Etcetera, this is necessary for our safety," Tumble stood a little straighter. "We must sacrifice some personal freedom in the name of the greater good."

"Someone's been drinking the Kool-Aid," Cetty remarked dryly.

"Be serious, Cetty," Tumblebrutus said harshly. "Everything Munkustrap has done has been to protect us."

"That I highly doubt," Cetty said quietly, turning away as she thought back to the night Jenny and Skimble were murdered.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tumble demanded. By now he was furious, but one look at Cetty's sorrowful expression caused Tumble to instantly be concerned. "Cetty, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she mumbled, pulling further away from him. Tumblebrutus sensed that he was losing Cetty—not physically, but mentally.

"Cetty," he pleaded. "Don't."

"Don't what?" She asked numbly, staring down at her paws.

"Don't leave like that," he took a step closer. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I can't," she said quietly.

"You have to," Tumble insisted.

"No I don't," Cetty replied.

"Yes you do," Tumble shot back. "I can't protect you if I don't know what's going on."

"Protect me?" Cetty's head snapped up. She lost her glassy-eyed stare. "Why would you protect me?"

"Because you're my friend," Tumble said simply. "That's what friends do."

Cetty took a deep breath. She stared into Tumble's eyes—she knew he would never betray her secret. But knowing that secret would put Tumble's life in danger, not to mention it would fill him with an overwhelming sense of guilt. You see, Tumble believed that after turning in Jenny and Skimble for deserting the Tribe, Munkustrap had allowed the two cats to go up North. He had no idea of their horrible fate—or his part in it.

She couldn't do that—not to her friend. He was only trying to protect her, but she also had to protect him. And keeping silent was the only way to ensure his safety.

Cetty gave a soft shake of her head, her voice filling with tears of regret, "Perhaps another time."

But Tumblebrutus was not backing down. He took Etcetera by the shoulders, taking time to stare into her eyes sincerely, "No, Cetty. For too long I've sat here and watched you suffer in silence—you won't even tell Tori what's going on! I don't know what you're trying to protect us from, but I assure you, I can handle it."

Cetty looked down at the ground. Perhaps it was time to finally share her burden, to finally reveal the horrible secret that had been locked away in her soul for so many months, ravaging her dreams and haunting her waking moments.

"I know what happens to cats when they disappear," she said quietly. She raised her eyes to meet Tumble's, "When they disappear and Munku catches them."

"When Munku catches them?" Tumble was confused. "What does that mean?"

"The night Jenny and Skimble went missing," Etcetera replied softly, trying not to hurt Tumble with her next confession. "I saw what happened—after you left, after Munkustrap spoke with them."

"He let them go," Tumble replied quickly, the panic rising in his voice. He could not believe what Cetty was insinuating. "He talked to them, and then he let them go—they boarded a train and headed north."

"No, Tumble," Cetty shook her head gently. "No, they didn't. They never made it to the train."

"That's—that's—that's not true," Tumble stepped back, shaking his head vehemently. "Munkustrap told me—he said—"

"He lied," Cetty said quietly.

"No!" Tumble retreated farther away from the queen. "He was right behind me—there's no way he could've—"

"He didn't do it himself—he had the rats do it for him," Cetty replied.

Now Tumble stopped, staring at Etcetera in complete disbelief. After a moment, he regained his composure, "Well that explains it then. Macavity must've known; he must've sent his henchrats to kill them. Munkustrap didn't have anything to do with it."

Cetty shook her head, "They didn't work for Macavity—Munkustrap was the one who told them to do it."

"Impossible," Tumble could not bring himself to believe such a thing. He was suddenly overcome with anger, "I can't believe this—all this time, you've been moping around about some figment of your imagination?"

"This was real—I saw them; I watched them die!" Cetty cried out, hot tears now coursing down her cheeks. Her brow set in anger and determination, "And I saw Munkustrap personally order the murder—"

"He did not do it!" Tumble shot back, the hysteria evident in his voice. Now it was Cetty's turn to become angry.

"Say it, Tumble—say it!" She demanded. "If you believe he's innocent, then say it!"

Tumble opened his mouth to reply, but quickly stopped himself.

"Say it," Cetty commanded in a low tone.

"Munkustrap did not kill Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks," Tumble said quietly, his gaze dropping to the ground.

Cetty seemed to understand that she had won the argument—she knew Tumble thought she was wrong, but something in his heart kept him from being completely certain of Munku's innocence. He still thought she was lying about Munku controlling the rats, but at least it was a step in the right direction. She didn't need Tumble to believe her entirely; Cetty was certain that Munkustrap would show his true colors sooner or later. Then she would have her proof—she could expose the Jellicle Leader as the monster that he truly was.

~*~

"Oi thought Oi'd foind you 'ere," Teaser gave a small smiled as she moved across the metal beam, sitting down beside her older sister.

Bomba smiled at the comment, but she did not respond. She was staring down at the factory floor, which was now empty and eerily quiet.

"Wotsa matter?" Teaser asked gently.

"What do you mean?" Bomba tried to cover up her feelings with a smile, but she knew that Teaser was not convinced.

"Dohn' troiy that wif me," Teaser gave her a pointed look. "You've been mopin' around all day—you were quoiet as a mouse at breakfast, ya di'in't go on the run, and now Tugger tells me that you've been gone all day. Wot gives?"

"I'm just a little tired, that's all," Bomba said quietly, wrapping her tail around herself in a comforting fashion. "I needed some time alone, to think."

Teaser suddenly understood, "Are you upset about leadin' Admetus to his deaf?"

"Actually, no," Bomba shook her head. "The whole time, I knew it was do or die. I didn't really think about Admetus."

There was a slight pause as Teaser waited for her sister to continue.

"I just…I know Tugger's really upset about this," Bomba said quietly. "I think he's blowing it way out of proportion, but I still feel badly about lying to him."

"You know the only reason he acted so daffy is cos he cares about you," Teaser spoke, her large green eyes focusing on her sister. "He'd doie if somefin were to 'appen to you—he loves you."

"I know," Bomba replied, looking down at her paws.

"And you love 'im," Teaser stated. Bomba nodded, closing her eyes as she finally admitted her true feelings for the Rum Tum Tugger. Teaser cocked her head to the side curiously, "So why aren't you wif 'im now? Wot's stoppin' you?"

"I'm afraid," Bomba admitted in a small voice. Teaser could hear the tears behind her tone.

"Afraid of wot?" Teaser demanded. "And since when were you afraid of anyfing?"

"Only when it comes to Tugger," Bomba sighed. She gave a slight frown, "I never can figure him out—and that scares me."

"Love is a scary thing," Teaser said philosophically. Then she turned to her sister once more, "But that dohn' mean you shouldn't love at all—hell, Loife itself is a scary thing, but that dohn' mean you gotta stop living. So take a chance, Dollface—it'll turn out roight, one way or another."

Bomba gave a low chuckle, turning to smile at the petite queen, "You know what? You make perfect sense. I never knew you were so poetic."

"Wot can Oi say?" Teaser shrugged. "Oi'm a cat of many talents."

There was a contented pause as the two queens sat side by side. Finally, Teaser spoke again.

"So, wot are you gonna do?"

"Well, first I'm going to apologize to Tugger," Bomba said. Teaser gave a curt nod of approval. Bomba's lips curved into a smile, "Then I'm going to tell him how I really feel."

"Atta girl," Teaser cheered. She stood up, gently nudging Bombie to do the same, "C'mon. The rest of the gang's back 'ome; Mungo's started a card game. Let's go play a round and put all this nasty business behoind us."

Bombalurina nodded, smiling as she followed her sister back to the loft. It had been a rough day—a game of cards seemed to be the perfect solution.

~*~

"Can one of you please explain to me how this happened?" Munku growled at the rats assembled before him. As usual, Plato had accompanied him on this business trip—sans Admetus, who had been missing since yesterday.

"We don't know, Boss," replied one of the dark vermin. "'Metus didn't let us in on this one—said he was going solo. All we did was deliver the message."

"And you have no idea where he went?" Munkustrap's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"One can only assume he ended up at the loft," the rat responded coolly. "But I can guarantee he isn't there now—not with the odds he was up against."

Munkustrap gave another growl of disapproval—he knew the rat was right, but that didn't make it any easier. How could Admetus have been so stupid? Now the rebels were still alive—and certainly on to Munku! All those years of careful planning—down the tubes!

"We'd better get back to the yard," Munku turned to Plato. "Those traitors will be out for blood—we've got a war to prepare for."

~*~

Tugger shifted through the cards in his hand, his amber eyes carefully reading the faces of the cats around him. He was an awful poker player, but he could read cats like a book.

"Fold," Cassandra gave a dramatic sigh, lightly placing her cards on the table. Misto seemed to be staring particularly hard at his cards.

"Don't try nothing funny, magic boy," Electra warned. Mungo and Tugger exchanged amused glances as this comment. Misto gave a small smile.

"My powers aren't that great," he admitted.

"Good," Electra gave a nod of approval.

Bombalurina and Rumpleteaser entered the room. The red queen quickly tapped Tugger's shoulder, motioning for the tom to join her in the bedroom for a chat. Tugger laid his cards on the table and followed her into the next room.

The rest of the cats exchanged uneasy glances. Everyone had noticed the tension between Bomba and Tugger; it seemed like only a matter of time before something exploded.

"Let's settle this like adults," Bombie said, closing the door behind her so that the others could not hear their conversation.

"Okay," Tugger replied, grabbing the red queen and kissing her so fiercely that she literally lost her breath.

"What was that?" She whispered, still shocked by Tugger's sudden actions—and the electricity that had shot through her body when their lips finally met.

"I don't know," Tugger admitted softly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Bombalurina gave a gentle smile.

"But this goes against the friends-only rule," Tugger reminded her.

"Well, I don't know about you," Bomba smirked. "But I always thought rules were meant to be broken."

Tugger was instantly suspicious—it wasn't like Bomba to change her mind about such things. "Is this some kinda trap? Some sick little game of yours?"

"No, it's not a game," Bombie laughed. "It's just…life's short. And we've wasted too much time trying to pretend like we don't care about each other—and failing miserably at it. So I guess the question is: will you call it quits? Will you stop fighting a losing battle and just be with me?"

"Depends," Tugger's amber eyes zeroed in on her dark ones. "Will you?"

"Yes," Bombalurina actually blushed at the answer—how adorable she looked when she blushed! Tugger was instantly seized with a desire to kiss her again, which he did.

"I take it your answer is also a yes," Bomba whispered, smiling up at him.

"Definitely," Tugger returned the smile, pulling her in closer.

~*~

"Just last night, one of our cats was murdered," Munkustrap announced, taking his place at the head of the Council. As usual, the Jellicles were assembled below. Cries of dismay ran through the crowd.

"Was it Macavity?" Asparagus asked.

"No," Munkustrap shook his head sadly. His gaze fell to the floor, as if this next bit of information was almost too much to bear. In a voice wracked with grief, he replied, "We have reason to believe that Admetus, Tom of the Watch, was murdered by the Rum Tum Tugger and his group of dissenters."

Now the crowd roared with activity—some shouted that it could not be true, others voiced their beliefs, while more simply cried out in alarm.

"We view this as a direct attack on the entire Jellicle Tribe," Munkustrap had to yell to be heard over the din of the crowd. Everyone fell silent at his proclamation. The Jellicle Leader continued, "From this point on, anyone who sees or makes contact with the traitors are to notify me immediately—we are now at war with the dissenters and every precaution must be taken."

Munkustrap dismissed the assembly with a wave of his paw, but most the cats remained, talking amongst themselves.

"I can't believe this!" Jellyorum shook her head sadly. "Admetus—murdered! And by the rebels!"

"The better question is: why was Admetus out of the yard?" Roary Huffersnuff asked dryly, his weather-beaten face showing little sign of concern for the slain Jellicle.

There was a moment of silence as Jellyorum contemplated Roary's words, "Well, perhaps they took him from the yard—"

"Balderdash," Roary snorted. He gave Jellyorum a disdainful look, "Do you honestly think those cats are stupid enough to come back here and take a Jellicle from the yard?"

Jellyorum obviously did not appreciate his demeaning tone—she shot him a dark look, "I'm just trying to find a reasonable explanation for this. Have you got a better idea?"

"Actually, I do," Roary leaned forward conspiratorially. "Admetus went lookin' for trouble—and he found it."

"What do you mean 'looking for trouble'?" Jellyorum was confused. Something in Roary's voice made her stomach knot in fear.

"Why go looking for the runaways?" Roary asked, arching his eyebrow skeptically. Jellyorum became irritated by his evasive behavior.

"Look, Roary Huffersnuff, if you are insinuating what I think you are, then come out and say it. Don't beat about the bush like some timid mouse," she snapped, instantly regretting her harsh words but still too prideful to take them back.

Roary sat back, slightly shocked by Jellyorum's sudden mood swing. He looked around quickly, whispering, "I'm just saying—things aren't adding up. I'm telling you this so that you can be careful. I'd hate to see your name added to the list of disappearances."

"I can take care of myself just fine," Jellyorum reminded him.

Roary gave a dry chuckle, "I have no doubt about that."

"Roary! Jellyorum!" Plato rushed over. He had an air of absolute seriousness. "Munkustrap wants you two on high alert, along with the other warriors. He thinks the traitors will try to attack again—we need our best fighters to be ready."

The two cats nodded in understanding, exchanging slightly worried glances. They hadn't truly fought since the days of the great Pollicle attacks—and that had been many years ago, before the Rumpus Cat had saved them.

Roary offered a lop-sided grin of assurance, "It'll be just like old times, Jells."

"Except we've never had to fight our own kind," Jellyorum replied. She couldn't help but add, "And nobody calls me Jells."

This only caused Roary's grin to deepen. "I do."

~*~

Tugger and Bomba were in the next room, although their love-making could be heard throughout the building.

"She's a screamer, isn't she?" Pouncival commented wryly. Electra did not say anything; she was still pouting over the fact that it was Bomba, not her, who was enjoying Tugger at this moment—she still held a slight infatuation for the idol of her kittenhood. She stared at her cards sullenly. Mungojerrie cast a hopeful glance in Teaser's direction.

"Dohn' even think about it," she warned, not bothering to look up from her cards. She laid down her hand carelessly. "Oi'm still upset wif you for bunglin' tha' job las' week."

"Oh, c'mon!" Mungo threw up his paws. "It was a 'onest mistake! Oi thought it was two turns offa lock, not three!"

"It was two," Teaser replied icily. "If you'da learned ta coun', you'da realoized it!"

"Hey, where's Misto?" Cassadnra asked, looking around in alarm.

"He's prolly out on the roof," Teaser replied. "Not that Oi blame 'im—Oi mean, would you wanna 'ear yore mum goin' at it wif the Rum Tum Tugger?"

"Mom? What do you mean 'mom'?" Cassandra's head snapped up.

"Oi, uh—oh, bollocks," Teaser smacked her forehead. "Oi wosn't supposed to tell. Too late now, Oi guess. Misto is Bomba's son."

"Oh," Electra and Pounce said in unison.

"Wot?" Mungo was truly shocked.

"You know, it isn't that shocking, really," Cassandra commented, donning a thoughtful expression. "That explains so many things."

"Why didn't he tell anyone?" Electra asked.

"Now that secret is stayin' in the bag," Teaser announced. "That's one Oi'll take to my grave—so dohn' even troiy it. And wotever you do, dohn let Misto know that you know. He dohn even know that Oi know!"

The other cats nodded in agreement, although none of them understood why Misto's family connections had to be kept secret. It didn't seem like that big of a deal.

~*~

"So, does this mean we can get rid of the top bunk?" Tugger asked hopefully.

Bomba gave a deep chuckle, crawling over Tugger and out of bed to sit before her beloved mirror, "Not a chance, Tiger. I still like a little bit of space."

"You're no fun," Tugger joked.

"And you hog the covers," Bomba shot back prissily, taking a moment to examine her reflection before smoothing her fur into place. Tugger watched her, an amused smile on his handsome face. Bomba stopped her grooming, "What?"

"Nothing," his smile widened.

"Liar," she returned, her dark eyes meeting his through the reflection. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he insisted. "I just like watching you fix yourself up—as if no one's going to know what we've been doing for the past—"

"Shush," Bomba replied quickly. "My son is out there—I don't want to make this anymore awkward that it already is."

Tugger merely chuckled at this, but he kept his mouth shut. Bomba returned to her reflection. After a while, she spoke, "So…you don't regret any of this?"

"This?" Tugger motioned around the bedroom. "No! It was well worth the wait—although I am sorry that we waited so long."

"Me, too," Bomba admitted with a kittenish grin. She looked up at Tugger, "I have a confession to make. I only chose Pounce to make you jealous."

"What?" Tugger was shocked.

"Well, at least I did at first," Bombalurina said quickly, looking away. "But over time…I dunno. I just care for him, Tugger."

Tugger did not reply. What could he say? This was definitely not what he wanted to hear—especially not after spending the afternoon in Bomba's arms.

"But," the red queen spoke again, taking a deep breath as she turned around to face him. "I will give him up. For you."

This simple statement caused Tugger's heart to stop—it was more powerful than any other declaration of love that Bomba could have uttered. To give up her prize, her youthful amour—that was a sure sign of her devotion. Tugger felt the need to give her the same reassurance.

"And for you," he spoke softly, moving to kneel beside her. "I will give up all other queens—I'll never look at another chick as long as I live!"

Bombalurina laughed at this, "Wow. The mighty Rum Tum Tugger has finally capitulated."

"But I put a good fight, right?" Tugger arched his eyebrow playfully.

"Yes," Bomba kissed him lightly on the nose. "Yes, you did—one for the books, I'd say."

She kissed him again, a light airy kiss that left Tugger wanting more. He tried to pull her closer to him, but she easily slid from his grasp.

"Now you're teasing me," Tugger grinned, wagging his finger playfully at her.

"I would never do such a thing," Bomba gave him another quick peck. Her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Well, maybe I would."

Tugger simply chuckled, this time successfully pulling her into him. Mouths met, tongues explored, and fireworks exploded in Bombalurina's head again. She pulled back gently, taking a moment to hover next to him, sharing the same breath as their lips remained just a heartbeat away from each other.

"We have to leave this room sometime," Bombalurina reminded him gently, her dark eyes never leaving that wonderful mouth of his.

"How about tomorrow?" Tugger asked in a low tone, stroking the side of her face.

A smile dawned on her beautiful features. "Tomorrow sounds good."

~*~

"I thought I'd find you here."

The sound of Electra's voice caused Mistoffelees to jump.

"Sorry," the dark queen giggled at his actions. "Didn't realize I was so sneaky."

Misto smiled at the joke. There was a contented silence as Electra sat beside him, staring across the skyline. Finally, the dark queen spoke again.

"So…Bombie's your mom."

Misto nodded, not really surprised by her knowledge. It was bound to come out sometime. He couldn't help but ask, "Who told you?"

"Teaser," Lecs admitted softly. Then she grinned, "But we're not supposed to tell you that we know."

Now Misto laughed, shaking his head, "You really are great at keeping secrets, Lecs."

"I try," she laughed in agreement. After another pause, she said simply, "I just don't want there to be any secrets between us."

"What does that mean?" Misto turned to her, his face skewed in confusion.

"Well…we're friends aren't we?" Lecs looked up at him hopefully. He nodded in agreement. She continued, "Friends don't keep secrets from each other."

"Then there's something else you should know," Misto said quietly, looking down at his white-tipped paws. "Macavity is my father."

Electra nodded slowly, taking a moment to fully comprehend his words. Then she spoke, "That explains your powers. Have you—"

"No, I've never met him," Misto answered. "I mean, I think he was a part of my life—like a real father—before the night I was taken, but I haven't seen him since then. He doesn't know I'm alive."

There was another pause.

"Thank you for telling me," Electra said quietly. Misto looked up at her. She was smiling, "I mean, it couldn't have been easy, telling me something like that. So thank you for trusting me."

Misto smiled. "You know, Lecs, if we hadn't ran away, we would never have been friends—I mean, we barely spoke back at the yard!"

"And look at us now," Electra leaned back, letting the sun warm her face. "Sharing our darkest secrets like we haven't a care in the world."

Misto chuckled at her sarcastic comment. "Yep, just a coupla' knockabout cats, hanging out on the roof. Completely normal."

"Absolutely normal," Electra agreed, going along with the joke.

Just then, Pouncival's head popped out of the window. "Hey, guys, Teaser's working on our collars—you know, the red ribbons to wear in battle—and she needs to measure your necks."

"We'll be right in," Misto answered, rising to his feet and helping Electra to hers.

The dark queen gave a light chuckle, "Absolutely normal."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The morning dawned bright and beautiful, full of promise. The very air held the anticipation of great things to come.

"Roise and shoine!" Teaser skipped merrily down the halls, only to discover that there was no need for her daily wake-up call—everyone was already awake and assembled, waiting for her to take them on the morning run.

"Surprised?" Pouncival asked, arching his eyebrow playfully.

"Jus' a bit," Teaser admitted. Her face blossomed into a grin when she spotted Bombalurina and Tugger, who were both looking positively radiant. "Glad you two decoided to join us."

Bombalurina just chuckled softly; Tugger gave an embarrassed cough and assumed an air of all-business.

"Let's go," he announced, leading the way.

"You really shouldn't tease him so," Bomba whispered to her sister as she moved past the petite queen, but there was a twinkle in her eye.

"Oi'm not the one who strung 'im along for years," Teaser reminded her. Bomba gave her a playful shove and quickly followed after the rest of the gang, who were already climbing onto the roof and chattering happily amongst themselves.

"Wait," Mungojerrie spoke quietly, but the seriousness in his voice caused everyone to stop talking immediately. He gave a quick motion to Teaser, who scampered to his side. He pointed into the street below. There a dark rat stood, watching their every move.

"Ere we go again," Teaser muttered to herself. She turned her large eyes back to Mungo. "Ya want me to go get 'im?"

Mungo gave a quick nod. "Take Cass with you. She needs the trainin'."

Cassandra overheard the last part of the conversation; she dutifully took her place beside Rumpleteaser, waiting for the tiger striped queen's command. Teaser gave a curt nod, "Let's go, Cass."

The two queens raced across the rooftop, moving down the buildings with unparalleled agility.

"Noice to see their trainin's payin' off," Mungo commented dryly. He stood there, patiently watching the two queens dispatch the rat. Suddenly, there was a loud shout from the nearby alley.

"He's got reinforcements!" Pounce cried out in dismay. "It's a trap!"

"Move, now!" Mungo commanded, racing towards the fire escape, which lead directly to the street. The other rebels followed close behind, their hearts racing with fear and adrenaline as they heard the howls and hisses from the skirmish.

Teaser and Cass were putting up a valiant fight, but they were greatly outnumbered.

"Jus' loike rats!" Teaser growled, lashing out with her claws. "Come in large numba's, foightin' dirty!"

"It's right up Munkustrap's alley!" Cassandra replied dryly, pressing her back against Rumpleteaser's in an attempt to protect both of them.

"Tease!" Mungo bellowed, bowling through the pack of rats. "We're 'ere!"

"Well, do somefin, will ya?" She called back. "Oi can't foight 'em on my own!"

"Hey!" Cass shot back, lashing out at another rat. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

"If you wos, Oi'da eaten you by now," Teaser joked. Even in a moment of utter life-and-death, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Ugh, disgusting vermin!" Bomba made a wide sweep with her long forelegs, causing several rats to jump back. "I so did not sign up for this!"

"Welcome to the war, Dollface," Tugger replied, grunting as he tossed another dead rat to the side. He looked around, making sure that the younger ones were able to fight on their own. He spotted the three young Jellicles in a wedge formation, bravely pushing their way through the rabble.

Tugger felt something bump into him—it was Bombalurina, who was attempting to protect his back, as well as hers in the classic attack stance.

"Hey, Tugs?" Her voice was low and seductive.

"Yeah?"

"If you get us out of here alive, I'll do whatever you want tonight."

Tugger burst into laughter. It was just like Bombalurina to use sex as motivation. "You've got it, Sweet cheeks."

He could hear Bomba's low chuckle, followed by a fierce yell as she attacked another rat. He shook his head—this was a queen after his own heart!

The skirmish waged on for quite some time; eventually the three young Jellicles were separated from their original formation. From across the alley, Misto could hear Electra cry out.

"Help!" She shrieked, trying to ward off a particularly vicious rat. Two more vermin tackled her; she gave a cry as she went under.

Misto quickly rushed towards her, but a mass of black rats stopped him. He felt something rise within him—something he hadn't felt since the night he was taken.

"Let her go!" He bellowed, throwing out his paws in a dramatic fashion. From seemingly nowhere, blue bolts of lightening shot across the alley, immediately striking the rats. Then an odd blue bubble warped through the crowd, stopping every vermin in its path. The rats instantly fell to the ground. The rats who did survive realized they were losing and quickly abandoned the cause. Soon, all that remained were the eight Jellicles and countless bodies of slain vermin.

"Well, that was fun," Cassandra commented dryly, trying not to pant too hard. The battle had been quite taxing.

"Tell me about it," Bomba grinned in agreement, moving past Tugger and gently brushing his chest with her paw. Her eyes were positively dancing.

"Misto—whoa!" Pouncival slapped the tuxedoed tom on the back. "Where did that come from?"

"I don't know," Misto answered honestly, still shocked by his own powers.

"I thought you weren't that powerful," Electra said quietly, although her eyes shone with gratitude and admiration.

"I guess I was wrong," he said simply. Bombalurina beamed with pride at her son.

"Looks like we've got a secret weapon," she slipped an arm around his shoulders. "Munkustrap won't stand a chance against us."

"Oi think we'll skip tha run today," Teaser announced, wincing as she rubbed her tired muscles. "We jus' had the best trainin' eva—we're ready for wotever comes our way tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Pouncival's face paled. Teaser nodded.

"Afta this incident, Oi dohn' think we can put it off any longer," she said quietly, looking to Tugger, who nodded in confirmation.

"Well, we always knew this day would come," he took a deep breath. "First the fire, then Admetus, now this—we can't sit here and hope for things to get better. We have to go head-to-head with Munkustrap."

Everyone nodded in solemn agreement. There was a sorrowed silence as everyone's mind drifted to the future.

"C'mon," Teaser interrupted the gloom with a cheerful grin. "Let's go play some cards."

Everyone smiled at her attempt to brighten the mood and followed dutifully after the tiger striped queen.

Bombalurina moved quickly, catching Pounce and pulling him a safe distance from the rest of the cats, "Pounce, darling, we need to talk."

"Sure," the young tom nodded, his eyes so open and honest that Bombalurina felt a slight twinge at the thought of breaking his heart.

"Not here," the red queen motioned to the loft. "My room."

Pouncival simply nodded, following her back to the loft. The rest of the gang engaged in a game of cards, but Bombalurina led Pounce back to her room. She and Tugger exchanged meaningful glances—the maine coon understood exactly what was happening.

The red queen closed the door, gracefully moving across the room and seating herself before her mirror. There was a moment of awkward silence as the red queen tried to find the words to begin this painful process. She looked down at her paws, her face lined with the worry that a surgeon wears whilst performing an intricate procedure.

Pouncival knew what was happening—and he had decided that he would not lose Bomba, not without a fight.

"So, you and Tugger, huh?" Pouncival asked with a slow grin.

Bomba blushed, "Yeah…me and Tugger."

"He wants you to get rid of me?" Pounce guessed. Bomba looked up sharply, as if startled by his perception. Pounce offered a sad smile, "It's OK, Bombie. I understand—I can wait."

"No, Pounce," she spoke softly, looking down at her paws once more. "There will be no waiting. This…this cannot continue. No more waiting; no more secret meetings or plans for the future. It ends now."

"But…how?" Pounce felt the air leave his lungs. He moved closer to her, desperate to make her understand, "Bombie, I love you. I can't live without you. We—we—we always planned to be together. Don't you remember all those nights at the yard? And we would talk about the future and—"

"Pounce," she said quietly, tears brimming in her dark eyes. "Don't do this—"

"Remember our last night together?" Pounce asked. "You said that after this was all over, we could be together again. Don't you remember?"

The young tom stood there, his chest heaving with unvoiced sobs as he stared helplessly at the red queen, who did not have the courage to look into his eyes. As much as Bomba loved Tugger, Pounce still held a place in her heart.

"Pouncival," Bombalurina said gently, trying her best not to hurt his fragile heart. "One day, you will realize that I am not what you need. You will realize that I am nothing more than an old, burnt-out queen. I cannot offer you the things you deserve—a family, a normal life. I could never be what you need. One day you will see that. But until you do, you'll never see the queen who's right in front of you—the one that very well may be the queen of your dreams."

"You are the queen of my dreams," Pouncival replied passionately.

Bombie shook her head sadly, "No, I'm not, Pounce. I'm an infatuation, a kittenish crush. You don't really love me; you idolize me. There's a big difference."

"I don't understand," Pouncival admitted.

"For years, you've watched me—thought about me, dreamt about me—but you still don't know who I really am—"

"Then tell me," Pouncival said eagerly. "Bombie, I want to know—"

"Pounce, I can't do this," Bomba turned away, covering her face with her paw to stop the sobs. "I can't hurt you anymore."

"The only way you could hurt me is by doing what you're doing now!" Pouncival cried out passionately, falling to his knees and moving closer to the red queen. "Please, don't leave me!"

Bomba gave a sad smile, gently turning back to take Pounce's face in her paws. "I'm so sorry, Pounce. One day, you'll see that I'm right—I'm only doing this because I love you."

"But you love Tugger more," Pounce replied hotly, pulling away from her grasp.

"I love him differently," Bomba said with a sigh. "You and Tugger…you can't be compared—my love for each of you is entirely unique."

There was an angry silence as Pouncival stared at the wall, too upset to meet Bomba's gaze.

"Please don't hate me for this," she spoke quietly. The tears were evident in her voice. "And whatever you do, don't hate Tugger. I was the one who chose to end things with you. I never meant to hurt you, Pouncival—and the longer I hold onto you, the more damage I do. Someday you'll understand."

"You're wrong," Pouncival replied. Bomba just smiled.

"Perhaps," she said softly, although her smile stated that she knew she was right. "And perhaps you are wrong."

"Nothing can change the way I feel," Pounce said stolidly. He turned his earnest eyes to Bomba once more, "One day, I'll prove it—one day, when Tugger goes back to chasing every tail that passes by, you'll come back to me. And I'll be waiting."

"Pounce—"

"You can't make me stop loving you, Bomba," Pounce replied quickly. He gave a small smile. "I won't hold this against you, and I won't hate Tugger for this. I'm going to fight alongside both of you tomorrow with nothing but love and admiration. You'll see."

With that, the young tom left the room. Bombalurina stared after him, a mixture of shock and sorrow on her lovely features. She had expected Pounce to be heartbroken, but she certainly hadn't thought that he'd declare undying devotion. She thought he'd accept the news and eventually move on. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"How'd it go?" Tugger asked quietly as he entered the room.

Bomba gave a heavy sigh, "Better than I expected. He's not ready to give up on me, though."

"Can't say that I blame him," Tugger admitted with a grin.

"You're not helping," Bomba rolled her eyes.

"But I did help this morning," Tugger reminded her. "And if I remember correctly, there was a certain incentive added to the deal."

Bomba chuckled, "Yes, there was. Are you here to cash in?"

"I waited as long as I could," Tugger joked.

"Come here, my brave defender," Bomba said playfully, patting the space beside her. Tugger obeyed, taking a moment to gently rub her shoulders. The red queen closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Tugger was watching her reaction in the mirror. "Are you OK?"

"Not sure yet," Bomba answered truthfully, still not opening her eyes. "I'm so worried about tomorrow."

"It'll all work out for the best," Tugger said philosophically, kissing the back of her neck. "Trust me."

Bomba smiled, leaning back so that she rested against his chest. "I do trust you. Bast only knows why, but I do."

Tugger chuckled, lightly tapping her nose. "That's the spirit."

~*~

Cassandra couldn't sleep. She stared up at the bunk above, where Electra was lying, unable to sleep as well.

"Misto was amazing today," the older queen commented. She knew that would start a conversation—over the last few weeks, Cassandra had discovered that Electra loved to talk about the tuxedoed tom. Cass was certain that wasn't all that Electra loved.

"He was," Lecs admitted quietly. "I hope he can do it again tomorrow."

"Why wouldn't he?" Cass was curious.

"He can't really control his powers," Lecs replied. "He hasn't been able to do that since he was a kit."

"He transported me the night Old D was kidnapped," Cass reminded her. "Surely he has some control—"

"But not enough to pull off a complete war," Electra said softly. "I just hope he doesn't hurt himself trying to save us—magic is a risky business."

"So is war," Cass reminded her.

Electra gave a heavy sigh. "So is life."

Cassandra fell silent. Lecs was right—everything was connected by a thin strand, one that could break at any minute, sending the entire universe tumbling down.

~*~

Tantomile peered suspiciously out into the eerie night. Generally, she loved the dark—the quiet solitude of the pale moon, the calm that followed day's end. But tonight was different. The whole earth seemed to be holding its breath, as if all creation was waiting to be plunged into a strange new world.

"Everything OK?" Munkustrap appeared beside her.

"For now," Tanto answered vaguely. She felt like her skin was on fire; it jumped and quivered with electricity. Still, she had no physical proof that anything was amiss. Which meant she had to wait.

She took a moment to study the Jellicle Leader. His face was completely impassive. She tried to read his mind, only to find that she couldn't. His level of self-control was too strong.

"Don't you have better things to do?" He turned to glare at her. Tanto shrank back slightly at the harsh edge in his voice. She didn't know he could feel her poking around in his mind.

Still, Tanto's curiosity outweighed her fear. "How do you do it? I mean, no one has ever been able to block me before."

"I don't know," he answered simply, turning around and disappearing into the night once more.

Tanto watched him go, her face skewed in confusion as she pondered the odd turn of events. The past few days must have put Munkustrap on-edge; he generally wasn't so gruff towards her.

_No one likes having their thoughts read_, she reminded herself. The mind was the one sacred place that the soul had, the only place where a cat's true desires lay hidden from the outside world. Everyone contents themselves with the idea that no one could steal their thoughts, that there was something that belonged solely to them—and few reacted positively to learning that not even their thoughts were safe from the scrutiny of others.

The black and white queen chided herself for being so forward—generally she didn't read a cat's mind unless she had permission. And to do it to the Jellicle Leader—what a over-stepping of bounds!

_Mil_, Cori's inner voice interrupted her thoughts.

_What?_

_Something's about to happen_, he whispered.

_I know_, she answered calmly. _I feel it, too._

_Where are you?_

_The same spot I'm at every time you ask me where I am._

_I see your sarcasm is still intact_, Cori noted dryly.

_Glad you noticed_, she couldn't help but smirk.

Soon, her twin appeared beside her. He sat there, his yellow eyes quietly observing the dark night.

"I don't know what's happening," he said solemnly. "But no good will come of it. The moon hides her face—a dark omen for sure."

Tantomile nodded in agreement, her eyes turning towards the dark heavens. A thick mass of black clouds were moving quickly across the sky, covering the moon and every star in the sky. All was dark, except for the streetlamps, which whined and flickered eerily in the silent night. Yes, something wicked was afoot.

~*~

Bombalurina thrashed violently, waking herself with a short cry of terror. She sat up, panting from the horror of her dream.

"What's wrong?" Tugger was instantly awake, sitting up beside her.

"I—I—I had a bad dream," she admitted shakily, smoothing the fur on her face with a nervous paw. She turned to him with worried eyes, "I dreamt that I died."

Tugger's face instantly contorted in sorrow. He pulled the queen to him, stroking her head comfortingly, "Don't say that—don't even think such a thing. We're all going to be just fine. No one's going to die."

Bombalurina nodded, although her eyes betrayed her uncertainty.

"Hey," Tugger said gently, taking her chin in his paw and raising her face to meet his. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Bomba smiled at the promise, leaning forward to kiss the maine coon. "You're right. It was just a dream."

Tugger laid back, gently pulling Bomba back with him. She rested her head on his chest, giving a contented sigh. Then she raised her head, her dark eyes meeting Tugger's.

"Uh-oh," a grin spread across Tugger's face. "I know that look."

"Well, we're already awake," Bomba reasoned, her eyes dancing mischievously.

"We have a big day tomorrow," Tugger reminded her. "We need to conserve our energy."

"Are you saying that you refuse?" Bomba arched her eyebrow questioningly.

"Of course not," Tugger flashed a winning smile. "I'm just playing hard to get."

"Cruel, cruel boy," Bomba whispered breathily, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Just giving you a dose of your own medicine," Tugger replied.

"Oh," Bomba gave a low chuckle. She sat up, "Two can play that game, Rum Tum Tugger."

She moved across the room, seating herself before the mirror once more. She picked up the red ribbon that Teaser had given her, expertly tying it around her neck.

Tugger watched her get ready, a mild look of amusement on his face. He always liked watching her get dolled up. "What are you doing?"

"Getting ready."

"For what?"

"I'm going out," she said simply, fluffing her whiskers.

"Wait…what?" Tugger sat up, thoroughly confused. "That goes completely against the deal."

Bombalurina flashed a cunning smile in the mirror. "No, it doesn't, Tugsy-boy. You swore off all other females. I simply gave up Pounce—I didn't say anything about other toms. And I can assure you, Pounce is not the only fish in the sea."

"You wouldn't," Tugger's expression darkened.

"I would," she replied smartly. "And you know it."

With that, the red queen got up and made her way to the door, throwing one last smile over her shoulder, "Don't wait up, Babe."

Tugger was across the room in an instant, whirling her around and pinning her against the door before Bomba could even speak. A beat passed as the two cats stared at each other.

"Wow," Bomba said breathlessly. "You are serious about this."

"I am," Tugger agreed. He didn't loosen his grasp; he kept the red queen pinned to the door. He simply leaned forward, stopping before his lips actually touched hers. Bomba stood there, yearning to kiss him—she leaned forward, but Tugger kept her firmly against the door, never letting their lips touch.

Bomba gave a soft laugh; she knew he was taunting her. But the anticipation was killing her—she was literally squirming as she tried to reach him.

Suddenly, Tugger loosened his grasp, moving away so that Bomba fell forward.

"Have fun," he said simply, moving back to the bed.

Bomba gave another low chuckle. "Oh, Rum Tum Tugger, you are a curious beast."

Tugger did not reply. Bomba knew she wasn't leaving the room—after that, nothing would ease the desire raging inside of her. No one would quite measure up to the maine coon.

She moved to the edge of the bed, a smile still on her lips. "So, are you still playing hard to get?"

Tugger didn't reply, but Bomba thought she could see the faintest of smiles on his lips.

"Then I suppose I'll have to woo you," she stated, sliding across the bed to him. She purred, softly tracing the line of his spine, "Win you over with my natural charms."

Tugger rolled over to face her. "I don't think it's possible, Miss."

"I think it is," Bomba replied sweetly, although her tone held a challenge. She knew Tugger was testing her. She didn't mind—these games were keeping her from thinking about tomorrow. It was a welcome distraction.

~*~

**_*Author's Note: One more chapter to go, Chickadees! It's almost finished, so hold on tight!*_**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**_*Author's Note: Here it is, Chickadees--the final chapter! Thank you all very much for being so patient with the updates, and for adding this to your faves/alerts/etc, and most importantly for reviewing--much love to all! Also: after this, I will be going into a short hiatus--I'll be jetting out to Orlando (Florida, not Bloom, sadly!) to spend the next week celebrating my 21st birthday, so it'll be probably 2 or 3 weeks before I post anything. But don't freak out--I'll be back soon, Chickadees. I promise!*_**

The Rum Tum Tugger stared out at the dark sky—it was morning, but the sun had not yet shown her face; the world was still covered in the inky black coat of night. The birds had begun to sing, signaling that day was close—and with it would come the moment of truth, which would affect the lives of the rebels and the faithful alike.

Tugger took a deep breath, taking a moment to look back at his companions, "Ok, troops—are we ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," Cassandra replied, readjusting her ribbon so that the bow was at the back of her neck.

"Let's get this party started," Rumpleteaser popped her knuckles—at which Pouncival made a pained face.

Tugger gave a curt nod of agreement, "Let's go."

The cats began to exit the loft, single file. Bombalurina pulled the maine coon aside.

"Hey, Tiger," her dark eyes held no hint of the fear that she had felt last night—now they shone with optimism…and a slight hint of mischief.

"Let's get this over with early, alright?" She pulled him by his infamous belt, bringing him closer to her. "I want to get back here and celebrate—just you and me."

"Sounds good," Tugger replied in a low tone, kissing Bombalurina softly.

He turned to go, but the red queen pulled him back, her mouth meeting his with a renewed sense of fervor. Finally, their lips parted; Bomba took Tugger's face in both her paws, "Just be careful out there, OK?"

"I will," Tugger promised. "You'd better be, too."

"I will," Bomba replied, offering a soft smile.

"Let's get a move-on!" Mungojerrie called out. "You two can make babies when we get back!"

Bomba and Tugger laughed heartily at this—perhaps because they both knew that such a thing was impossible, but also because Mungojerrie always knew how to break a romantic moment.

~*~

Tantomile rubbed her eyes sleepily. She had been keeping watch all night—she wasn't a patrol cat, but something within her sensed impending danger and kept her from sleep.

She smiled when she turned to see Coricopat curled up beside her, sleeping peacefully. He had refused to leave her side, even when sleep threatened his heavy eyes.

Suddenly, her brother leapt up, his eyes roving the heavens wildly.

"She's here," he whispered, looking around quickly.

"Who is?" Tantomile asked curiously. She was fascinated by the fact that Cori could sense something and she couldn't—usually she was the more perceptive one.

"Cassandra," he answered. Suddenly, Tanto understood—before Cassandra had disappeared, she and Cori had become quite close. It seemed natural that Cori would sense the dark queen before his sister did—mystics could always sense other mystics.

A worried look passed over Coricopat's features. He turned to his sister, his eyes filled with fear, "And she's not alone."

~*~

The sun had not fully risen; fog still permeated the streets of London as the rebels marched bravely towards the yard.

Tumblebrutus was the first to spot them—he immediately leapt from his post and ran to find Etcetera, who was still curled up asleep in an old tire.

"Cetty, wake up!" He shook her, his voice pitching in excitement. "Lecs is alive!"

"What?!" Etcetera was instantly awake.

"She's with the rebels!" Tumble announced. "I just saw them—they're headed for the yard!"

"Tumble, you need to warn the others," Cetty pushed towards the center of the yard urgently. "Go tell Munku!"

Tumblebrutus nodded, running off to warn the Jellicle Leader. Cetty raced in the opposite direction. She had to alert her mother.

She nearly ran right into Demeter, who apparently was aware of the situation.

"Cetty!" Dem was frantic. "Find Teathrice—she's with the kittens. Stay with her until this is over. And find Jemima!"

"No," Cetty shook her head vehemently. "I'm not going to sit back and let you do all the fighting—I'm going to the front lines!"

"Etcetera, no you're not!" Demeter said sternly. By now the yard was a beehive of activity—cats were dashing around, yelling and spreading the news of the oncoming attack. The warriors were assembling at the front of the yard; the kittens and the cats too old to fight were moving towards the back, to the carefully selected hiding places that had been created for this very purpose.

Someone called to Demeter; the black and gold queen quickly darted off to the front of the yard. Etcetera simply waited a few moments before charging after her sister. No way was she going to sit this one out.

~*~

"We've been spotted," Tugger announced, although it was completely unnecessary. The rebels could clearly hear the shouts from the fence row. He turned to his second-in-command, "Let's move it, Boms."

The red queen gave a curt nod. "Alright, Ladies—you know the drill."

She quickly moved to the front of the pack, flanked by Cassandra and Electra. The three queens took off, using their momentum to easily swing atop the fence and race down the fence line, maneuvering their way around Munku's forces.

"Our turn," Mungo nudged Teaser, who nodded in agreement. He flashed a reassuring smile, "Let's give 'em a show to rememba, Love."

"Yes, let's," Teaser beamed back at him delightedly. She was reminded of the old days, when she and Mungo were Macavity's top operatives, working together as a well-oiled machine.

"Oy," Mungo grabbed her tail, pulling her back quickly. His face became very gentle as he whispered, "You take care of yourself in there, alroight?"

"Will do, love." Teaser gave a soft smile and a playful salute.

"Good," Mungo gave a curt nod. "Now let's go kick some tail."

The identical tabbies raced off, scurrying up the fence just as the queens had done, except moving in the opposite direction. They would strike near the middle of the Jellicle squad—the infamous weak spot.

"Alright," Tugger took a deep breath, casting one last glance at Pouncival and Mistoffelees. "Get ready to rumble, cats."

The two toms nodded solemnly, moving quickly behind Tugger as he catapulted over the fence and into the front line of the Jellicle warriors.

~*~

The Jellicle Warriors all waited patiently, their faces as impassive as stones as they stood before the fence. Etcetera was stationed near the back, anxiously craning her neck for any sign of Electra. She didn't know how, but she hoped to save her friend, to drag her from the fray.

Munkustrap was situated in the middle, standing atop a junk heap so that he could have a clear view of the battle. The first set of rebels appeared on the fence line, their long tails snaking through the sky ominously.

Suddenly Munkustrap whirled around, his bright eyes burning with righteous fury at Etcetera, who hunkered down in fear. He must have spotted Electra—there was no other explanation for the anger that he displayed towards the young queen.

Cetty knew that no matter what happened, she had to escape. As far as Munku was concerned, she was as good as dead.

~*~

There was an instant of shock as Tugger landed before the Jellicles. In all honesty, the Jellicle army was much smaller than he'd imagined—and filled with familiar faces. From the front lines, Jellyorum's motherly face stared at him in horror; Tugger could also recognize Roary, Notekins, and Tumble amongst the ranks. At a distance, he could see Cori and Tanto who were watching the proceedings with fearful eyes. Alonzo stared forlornly back at him from his perch next to Munku. Tugger suddenly didn't think he could do this.

Luckily, he didn't have time to think. Plato charged, lashing out at him with amazing fury; Pouncival immediately blocked him, and then all hell broke loose.

From the back of the ranks, Cass, Boms, and Lecs were using their wedge formation to push through the crowd, lashing out at anyone who dared to stand in their way. But any casual onlooker could tell that they were restraining their blows. Their objective was to reach Munkustrap, who was situated at the center, with as little fatalities as possible.

"Cass, you fat cow, are you out of breath already?" Bomba joked. She could hear the dark queen panting as she warded off another charging cat.

"Shut up, you old whore!" Cass shot back, only slightly irritated at her friend's jibe. She knew Bomba was trying to rouse her to make her fight harder.

"What are you gonna do? You certainly haven't the wind to chase after me!" Bombie shot back gleefully.

"If we weren't fighting for our lives right now, I'd kick your ass," Cassandra gave a wry grin. Bomba merely laughed in agreement.

"Would you two quit your yammering and get to Munku?!" Electra yelled, although she was fighting back a grin. She knew what they were trying to do--she was willing to egg them on, if it meant keeping up their fighting spirit.

"She's too much like us, Cass," Bomba chuckled as she lashed out at another cat. Cassandra nodded in agreement, giving a breathless laugh as she pushed further into the throng of Jellicles.

"Indeed!"

~*~

Jemima raced around the yard breathlessly. She couldn't find her mother; she couldn't remember where the hiding place was. The cries of battle only added to her fear. Despite the absolute terror coursing through her veins, the small queen ran towards the front of the yard.

~*~

"Misto, do it now!" Tugger commanded, lashing out at Asparagus.

"Shouldn't we wait?" Misto yelled back, the fear evident upon his face.

"Do it now, before someone gets killed!" Tugger shouted back. Misto nodded. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser quickly moved in front of him, creating a shield for the conjuror to safely work his magic.

Mistoffelees gave a clap of his paws, throwing them out dramatically. This time, only the blue shock wave appeared, rippling through the crowd and bringing the Jellicles to their knees. Misto had restrained himself—he knew this would only leave them temporarily unconscious, rather than killing them.

Using all of his mental power, Misto concentrated on not letting the wave affect Munkustrap. That was the plan—he would be the only one left conscious, so that he could capitulate with little resistance.

Munkustrap stared in horror as the entire Jellicle force fell to the ground. He whirled around quickly, realizing that he was the only one standing against the eight rebels.

~*~

Jemima heard the sound of the shockwave, which shook the ground with its force. She rushed to the scene, giving a small cry of dismay as she saw the entire Tribe lying on the ground. She moved to her mother, nudging the black and gold queen with her nose.

"Mummy, wake up!" She cried. Demeter stirred, but her eyelids drooped, closing once more.

Jemima looked around helplessly—that's when she spotted her father. She rushed towards him. Surely he would save her.

~*~

Munku looked for any weapon he could find—in this case, a discarded carving knife—and waved it around like a samurai sword. He moved towards Mistoffelees, barely catching him on the leg. Misto ducked and rolled to the side, howling in pain. Instantly, Bomba charged towards the Jellicle Leader with a cry of rage.

With one fluid motion, Munkustrap whirled around, hitting the red queen with the knife's cruel blade.

Bombalurina gave a soft grunt as Munkustrap landed a solid blow to her chest. She fell to the ground, her eyes glazed over in shock as her body convulsed mechanically on the ground, writhing in pain as she gasped helplessly for air.

Jemima stared in horror as she watched her aunt fall. She rushed to the red queen, her tiny paws trying to stop the gaping wound from bleeding. The blood seeped through her small fingers, staining their white tips a deep red.

"Bombie!" Cassandra shrieked when she saw her friend flopping helplessly on the ground, like a fish out of water. The dark queen fell to her friend's side, trying to help Jemima hold the red queen down.

Suddenly, the erratic movements stopped. Bombalurina looked to the heavens with unseeing eyes as her last soft breath left her body with a small groan.

Cassandra stared at her friend's lifeless body for a moment, her mind still absorbing the shock. Then she turned to see Munkustrap, who was trying to fight off the other toms.

With a cry of rage, Cassandra charged the silver tabby. He whirled around, brandishing the blade and stopping her with one swift movement. Cassandra fell immediately; she did not flounder in agony like Bombie. She simply hit the ground, dead upon impact.

Electra quickly moved to Mistoffelees, grabbing him with a sudden rush of urgency, "Misto—do something!"

"What do you want me to do?" He yelled back, dodging Munku's erratic swings. "I can't stop him!"

"Don't worry about him—save Bombie and Cass!" Electra cried, turning him to see the two slain queens. Misto gave a cry of dismay and rushed to his mother's side. He knew it was too late—the spark had left those dark eyes; no spirit remained.

Electra must have read his mind, because she urged him, "Just try!"

Misto nodded, rubbing his paws together to summon up his power. He held them over the gaping wound. Nothing happened.

"I don't understand," his face skewed in confusion. "My magic—it's gone!"

_You cannot change Fate_, a voice echoed eerily in his mind. Misto's head snapped up to see Tantomile, who was perched a safe distance from the battle.

He stared at her for a moment, slowly taking in her words. Then he gave a slight nod of understanding. He turned to Electra with sorrowed eyes, "I can't undo what's been done, Lecs."

"But you didn't even try!" Her voice cracked with tears.

"I'm sorry, Lecs," he whispered. "It won't work. It's beyond my control."

Just then, Rumpleteaser ran by, snatching the two cats from their misery, "Now's not the toime for mopin'—we're unda' attack 'ere!"

In all honesty, Teaser was just as upset as they were, but she had taught herself a long time ago to fight first and mourn the dead later. It was the only way to survive.

By now, other cats were returning to consciousness—Plato and Asparagus were now helping Munkustrap fight off the rebels. This gave Munkustrap the chance to step back and observe the situation. He knew the rebels would not give up—not until he died or capitulated. Munku didn't really care for either ending, so he decided to do things his way.

The silver tabby quickly darted toward the abandoned corner of the yard. Mungojerrie and Pouncival ran after him.

"Coward!" Pounce hissed as his legs pumped double-time to catch up with the Jellicle Leader.

Suddenly, Munku stopped and whirled back around. He held up a suspicious looking tin can, "One more step and none of us will make it out of here alive!"

Mungo and Pounce immediately stopped.

"Gasoline," Mungo sniffed suspiciously. He cocked his head to the side quizzically, "You really gonna loight us all up, Munku?"

The Jellicle Leader gave an evil chuckle. Pounce and Mungo knew he would definitely set the whole yard on fire, if need be.

"Now, go back the way you came," Munku commanded. "Get your buddies and get out of here."

"You're crazy," Pounce shot back, his eyes narrowing into thin slits of anger.

Munku produced a match, "Are you willing to test that theory?"

Pounce immediately took a step back.

"Dohn' be stupid, Munku," Mungojerrie warned. "You dohn' wanna destroiy this—all your father worked so 'ard for, all that you swore to protect. Dohn'—"

"Don't lecture _me_ about loyalty!" Munkustrap spat. "You and the rest of those bast-forsaken riffraffs—how dare you challenge me! I have given everything to protect these cats, and this is how you repay me?"

"You may 'ave given everything, but that wos yore choice—you 'ad a say in tha matter!" Mungo shot back. "You took everything from us! We di'int get a choice!"

"Enough debating," Pounce growled, turning his angry glare back to Munku. "He's just bluffing, Mungo."

At this point, Tugger rushed onto the scene, "Give it up, Munkustrap! The battle's over."

"But not the war," Munku shot back. With that, he sloshed the canister of gasoline in their direction, causing the cats to jump back in fear. From his collar, he produced a box of matches.

"If you want a job done right," he struck a match, tossing it carelessly onto the gasoline. "Do it yourself."

The fire quickly lapped up the gasoline, shooting towards the rebels at a frightening pace. But it was not satisfied with the meager liquid—red flames began to climb the various piles of junk, quickly spreading across the yard.

"Run!" Tugger commanded, grabbing his companions and dashing madly back to the battlefield.

~*~

Demeter heard her daughter's wail once more. She was filled with a sudden surge of strength—nothing, not even Misto's magic, could keep her from saving her daughter. She willed herself back into consciousness, pulling herself to her feet.

Her heart stopped completely when she looked up. A few yards away lay Bombalurina, whose pallid face made Demeter cry out in fear and sorrow. She rushed to Jemima, who stared blankly down at Bomba, her young face filled with unspeakable horror.

Her small pink nose twitched oddly as she smelled the first whisps of smoke emanating from the corner of the yard. She turned to see the orange glow, giving a small cry of terror at the sight.

Asparagus was awake again, too—he was now pulling Demeter away, "We have to get out of here!"

Demeter nodded, moving to pull Jemima to her feet. The young queen just sat there, oblivious of the events unfolding around her. Demeter felt a rise of panic as she dragged her daughter away, "Jemima, we have to go!"

Jemima followed numbly behind her mother, her large eyes still fixed on the red queen's body.

"I have to get my babies!" Demeter had to yell to be heard over the cries of fear and confusion as the other Jellicles began to wake. Asparagus gave a curt nod and rushed in the direction of the dens.

~*~

Tugger ran as fast as he could. Suddenly, he tripped over something—he turned to see what had blocked his path. To his unending horror, it was the lifeless body of Bombalurina.

"Bombie!" He cried, crawling towards her. He gently scooped her head into his lap, lightly touching her face. He didn't have to ask what killed her—the gash in her chest answered that.

By now the fire had reached the center of the yard. It burned around him, but Tugger didn't care. He had to stay here, with Bomba—he couldn't leave her to be burned into an unrecognizable pillar of ash. He knew she wouldn't feel it, but he would always know what had happened. He couldn't live with such a thought. She deserved a proper burial.

_Near a garden_, Tugger's mind snapped with the idea. He'd place her near a garden, somewhere that a rosebush grew, and he could visit her everyday.

His thoughts were interrupted by Electra, who was tugging at his arm. "C'mon, Tugger!"

Tugger suddenly remembered that he was not alone—he still had a posse of cats to protect. Still, he could not leave his love.

"Tugger, we have to go!" Electra's voice bordered on hysteria.

"I'm not leaving without her!" Tugger yelled back, dragging Bomba's lifeless body through the rubble.

Electra knew there would be no swaying Tugger's decision. She ran back to help him carry out the body.

They were soon met by the rest of the surviving rebels, who quickly rushed to help carry the red queen. They ran across the street and into the alley, their fearful gazes never leaving the blazing yard.

"Wot do we do now?" Mungo asked.

Tugger didn't reply. He was busy tending to Bomba's wounds, as if by some miracle he could bring her back to life.

"We should wait here," Misto replied, turning his eyes to the heavens. A storm was quickly approaching. "We shouldn't travel in the storm."

"Storm or no storm, we can't stay here," Electra interjected. "We have to get back to the loft."

The others nodded in agreement, but no one made a move. A moment of silence passed as the cats watched the yard burn slowly to the ground.

"I'm going to bury Bombie," Tugger announced suddenly. He gently lifted the red queen and disappeared into the shadows once more. Mistoffelees followed after him on silent paws, a single tear slipping down his young face as he went to bury his mother.

Mungojerrie's eyes filled with sorrow as he turned to Lecs and Pounce, "We'll wait til they're finished. Then we'll go 'ome."

~*~

Victoria peered cautiously outside the den. The sound of battle had stopped long ago; perhaps all was well. The back section of the yard was still deserted. She slowly crept from her hiding place, "Teathrice!"

From a nearby stump, two grey ears appeared, followed by a set of brilliant eyes.

"Victoria, get back in your hiding place!" The grey queen hissed frantically. "You cannot leave until the all-clear signal is given!"

"Teathrice, it's so quiet," Victoria whispered hoarsely. "Something's happened."

"Of course something's happened," Teathrice rolled her eyes. "It's a war, dear one."

Victoria nodded in agreement, biting her lip. After a pause, she spoke again, "Can I come in there with you? I don't like being alone."

The grey queen's face softened in understanding. She gave a small smile, "Sure, dearie. There's plenty of room."

Just then, Demeter and Asparagus appeared, dragging Jemima along with them.

"Teathrice!" The hysteria was evident in Demeter's voice. "The yard's on fire—we have to get out of here!"

The grey queen ducked back into the stump, quickly scooping up the three kits. Asparagus gingerly lifted Catrice in his mouth, catching her by the scruff of the neck. Demeter did likewise with Deuteronomus, and Teathrice took Aleyn.

Victoria took one look at Jemima's stoic expression and knew that something horrible had happened. She quickly took the young queen's paw and followed after the others, through the fence and into the woods behind the yard. She felt something warm and sticky on her paw--she looked down to see that Jemima's paws were covered in blood, which now soaked her own white fur. It took every ounce of self-control for Victoria to keep from retching at the sight; she bravely looked ahead and forced herself to think of other things. Now was not the time for weakness.

The sky was growing darker by the minute; the heavens rumbled in displeasure. The three adults set the kits down and allowed them to run.

"It's going to rain," Teathrice commented, squinting up at the sky. At this particular moment, her comment seemed almost ludicrous, but the others knew that she was merely trying to ease the pressure, so they went along with it.

"Perhaps it'll kill the fire," Asparagus' tone did not sound hopeful.

"We're still too close," Demeter looked over her shoulder fearfully. Now she could see the large pillar of fire as it consumed the yard. "We have to keep going."

The others simply nodded in agreement. The kits, still unaware of the situation, frisked about happily, giggling and pouncing each other but staying close to the adults as they traveled through the forest.

Asparagus cast a fearful eye at his sister, who trudged along with an expressionless face. The tom had seen Bomba's body; he knew Jemima and Demeter had as well. He was simply waiting for the deep depression that would inevitably follow.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad this time, he thought to himself. After all, Bombalurina had been killed to save the other Jellicles. Surely Dem understood that. And this time the black and gold queen had four kits to worry about.

Asparagus' mind immediately jumped to his eldest niece, Jemima. She had not spoken the entire time—from the deep red stains on her tiny paws, Asparagus could only guess that Jemima had witnessed Bombalurina's death.

He was filled with sorrow for the young queen—wordlessly, Asparagus wrapped a comforting paw around Jemima as they continued deeper into the forest.

~*~

"Wait!" A voice rang out in the misty morning air.

The rebels turned simultaneously, their weary eyes searching for the source of the sound.

From the mist came Etcetera, rushing towards the group at a frightening speed.

"Don't leave me here!" She came to a halt before Tugger, her large eyes filled with hurt and fear, "Please don't leave me here."

Tugger simply nodded, wrapping his arm around the young queen and turning back down the abandoned street as the yard crackled and burned behind him.

_~Le Fin_

_"Because of tonight, a mystic dies,_

_Because of tonight, evil shall rise..."_

_~Tantomile's Prophecy [Full Version of the Vision is located in Chapter 10 of Strange One]_


End file.
